


Dancing Under The Stars

by captain_trash



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gangsters, Alternate Universe - Stripper/Exotic Dancer, Angst, Assault, Attempted Sexual Assault, Blood and Violence, Gang Violence, Gore, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, Injury, M/M, Threats of Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-06-29
Packaged: 2019-11-13 21:39:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 52,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18039548
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captain_trash/pseuds/captain_trash
Summary: George King owns this city, ruling over it with an iron will that sends even the hardest of criminals running for cover. His gang controls everything and everyone through fear, money and drugs. At club Camelot, a few of King’s lackeys are in charge of a troop of strippers. While Aaron never imagined he’d end up working the pole, he’s found a sense of freedom among the lights and music. His friends and him are striving for bigger, better goals, and one day they’ll reach them as long as they stick together. But one piece of information, one moment, one choice Aaron makes changes everything. Now he has the attention of King, the most powerful man in the city, and he can’t seem to shake him. To make matters worse, three new gangs appear out of thin air and take control of Camelot. Aaron and his friends find themselves stuck between two powerful forces. Can they remain neutral, or will they be forced to pick sides?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Quick note before you start: 
> 
> This is a much darker AU then some of my other works. Please read the tags and understand that there are themes in this story that maybe unsettling to some readers. Tags will be updated as the story progression. I will point them out; however, it is up to you as the reader to decide if this story is right for you or not. 
> 
> Read at your own risk.

Sweat dripped down Aaron’s back as he held tight to the metal pole. He ignored the yelling and taunts from the crowd, focusing on his routine as he securely wrapped his legs around the pole. The lights of the club masked the faces of his audience, but he could feel their eyes on him. He knew they were looking at his bare chest. Could feel the way their stares moved up his legs to gawk at his ass. Years ago, he would have wanted to run and hide from such heavy looks. Now the heat from their gazes brought a smile to his face as he moved higher up on the pole. The music swelled, coming to a crescendo just as he let go and eased his upper body backward with only his legs to support him. Money flew onto the stage, prompting Aaron’s smile to grow. He threw in an extra wink as he pulled himself back up. As he lowered himself down towards the stage he spread his legs wide and opened his mouth to mimic a more obscene act. 

More cheers. More money. He swept his arms over the stage to collect his profits, shoving some of it inside his short, tight outfit with a flirty look before he arched his back and ran the rest of the cash along his chest. Someone whistled. Another person begged him to come get on their lap. Another day. Another club full of horny men who used their money to wield power, but they wouldn’t get anything from Aaron unless they paid major bucks. He didn’t come cheap. He earned his reputation and worked hard to maintain it. He climbed up to his feet, gathering more of the money as he went while the music quickly faded. He blew a kiss to the ground, ran his hand down his chest to rest over his crotch, and tilted his head back in time for the lights to go dark. He grabbed the rest of the money as quickly as possible and excited to the left where Maria was already waiting for him with a robe. 

“Fucking killer,” she praised, kissing his cheek as she helped him into his robe. 

“Enough for rent, and for food,” he promised, holding up the cash he made. Maria only gave him a smile as they walked backstage to the dressing room. Lafayette offered him a high five along the way, which Aaron happily accepted along with a fresh towel. Benjamin, who was finishing his makeup in front of one of the countless mirrors, nodded when they came in, but he didn’t look away from his work. His act was after Lafayette’s, and he took great care when it came to his makeup to give him an edge for his rebel boy look. The dressing room was more of a dressing area. The wall was lined with a series of mirrors and lights while the other featured a row of lockers. The dancers all had their own areas; however, it was normal for them to share or switch at a moment’s notice. Benjamin’s mirror was next to John’s, who was currently working the floor along with Tina. Then came Lafayette followed by Travis, Lindsay, Tina, and Ron. Then Maria and Martha, who shared an area and finally Aaron in the corner against the wall. At least on a night like this when both female and male dancers performed. Other nights, Theo and Peggy would take Benjamin’s and John’s places and vice versa. 

Aaron threw the cash in his hands onto the counter as he took a seat on the stool in front of his area. He kicked off his red high heels, which matched his shorts perfectly, and rubbed his feet for a moment. He liked wearing heels, liked the way they made his legs look longer and his butt perkier, but wearing them on stage was torture. After using the towel to wipe the sweat and makeup off his face and neck he started to count his earnings. He still had a few more hours left in his shift, but he still wanted to know how far he had to go until he made his quota. 

“He upped it you know,” Benjamin stated. Aaron cursed under his breath, glancing at Maria for confirmation. She gave him a single nod. 

“How much?” he asked. 

“$1500,” she whispered 

“Fucking bastard. That’s more than three months rent!” 

“We’ll figure something out,” Maria assured him, but they both knew the new quota would put a wrench in their plans. The owner of the club, a sleazeball who made half the gangs in the city look like angels, demanded a portion of their earnings for the week, but he’d been slowly increasing the target amount over the last two months. It used to only be $500 when Aaron started working. Now it was triple that amount. Usually, Aaron and Maria were able to pull in $2000 each, but that was only thanks to private lap dancers, or letting some customers break the rules. That only left them with $1000 towards their shared apartment situation. They would need to up their amount of lap dancers or let more touches slide if they wanted to keep their home. 

“$179 from that last dance,” Aaron declared his total, folding the money and putting it in his lockbox. They all had one. As much as Aaron would like to trust the other dancers, he knew they all had bills to pay and desperate people would use their friends to get out of sticky situations. 

“That brings you to $1642 for the week so far,” Maria added up for him, “But you still have four hours left to make some more.” The quota was always due on Sundays since that was the slowest day of the week, and Saturday provided the best opportunity for dancers to make up what they needed before the deadline. 

“What are you at?” 

“Don’t worry about it.” 

“Maria-” 

“I’ll make the quota,” she hissed, giving him a firm glare to shut up. Aaron met her stare with one of his own before nodding his head. He didn’t want to argue with her, but he made a mental note to slip some extra cash into her lockbox. They knew each other's combinations in case of emergencies, and he still owed Maria for slipping him extra when he first started dancing. That was a lifetime ago when he was too young and stupid to understand how messy and cruel the real world could be. This wasn’t the life he imagined for himself when he ran away from home, but it was still better than living with his abusive uncle. 

“How do I look?” Benjamin asked, turning to face them. His eyes were lined with black eyeliner and smudge to give him a grunge look. He added just a touch of lipstick to make his lips red along with a fake bruised cheek to add to the other all look. 

“Like a punk,” Maria declared with a sharp grin. Benjamin smiled shyly at her praise. Smart, and a little cocky, but he was overall a sweet guy, which made his rebel act even more ironic. 

“Going with the leather jacket again?” Aaron wondered. 

“Yeah, but I took your advice about the underwear this time.” 

“I stand by my idea that white will make the crowd go wild. If I’m wrong, I’ll give you $100.” 

“Nah. I’ll take your word for it,” Benjamin replied. Aaron gave him a soft smile. Ben was the newest dancer at the club. His brother was sick and stuck in the hospital. He needed money quickly to help with bills. He’d been going to law school until the bills got to be too much. Now he had student loans and medical bills and more to worry about. He should be doing something better, something that was worthy of his skills, but the world wasn’t fair and he ended up like the rest of them. They all had similar stories. Runaways or people trying to make enough money to get themselves through a rough patch. Tina was going to medical school. John ran away from a shitty home life. Maria had lost her job due to an asshole boss. They all had stories. They all had scars, but they didn’t talk about it that much. It wasn’t worth dwelling over when you were at work. 

Aaron finished wiping himself off, removing any traces of his performance, as he thought about his next outfit. He moved towards his locker, unlocking it and opening the door to look through his choices. He had a large number to choose from, but he went with a crowd favorite after giving it some thought. Without thinking about the other people in the room, he stripped off his shorts and replaced them with a black thong and a pair of matching black shorts. He slide on a short, white button-up shirt, leaving the bottom three buttons undone before wrapping a short black tie around his neck. 

“Wish me luck,” Ben asked as he got up from his seat. 

“Good luck!” Maria and Aaron called together, watching as he made his way towards the stage. Aaron straightened his tie and returned to his mirror to fix his makeup. He couldn’t help but place a hand on his cheek, pulling at the skin a bit. He’d lost a lot of weight since he had taken this job and the changes to his body still shocked him even after all this time. He didn’t stare at his reflection for too long, ashamed of himself in too many ways. 

“Did you hear the rumors about the new gang?” Maria wondered as she finished applying her lip gloss. He glanced over at her, but she focused only on the mirror. 

“There’s always a new gang,” Aaron replied. “I can’t keep track of them all. And they’ll never last against King and his goons.” 

“Maybe not, but just be ready in case trouble comes our way like last time.” 

“I will.” 

“And don’t try to be a hero again.” 

“I won’t.” 

“Good.” 

Aaron rolled his eyes as he grabbed his lipstick and applied it just the way Maria taught him. His eyeshadow and liner held up during his performance, and only need some slight touch up here and there. He tried not to let Maria’s words get to him, but it was nearly impossible. A few months ago, it couldn’t have been more than four, they ended up in the middle of a turf war between the Royal Gang, led by the King, and a new gang of misfits that thought they could take the larger, more established gang on. Wilkinson, the owner of the club and one of King’s many money makers, had been a target of the new gang. Unfortunately, whenever someone targeted Wilkinson they all got caught up in the drama as well. 

The new gang had been just as bad as Wilkinson, snapping at the dancers and acting as if they were objects and not people. Aaron stood his ground in front of Martha and Tina, earning himself a black eye and a bruised rib for his trouble. It was worth it in the end, though it made the following weeks of work a living hell. The Royals drove the new gang out of town, painting the streets with blood, then it was back to the normal routine just like always. There was no time to dwell on what happened. No time to understand how violent the world really was. You simply had to get over it and keep going or you risked getting lost in the shuffle. Aaron finished getting his makeup and grabbed his black heels, placing a quick kiss on Maria’s forehead after he slipped them on. 

“Have fun up there,” he said. 

“You know I will. Be safe on the floor,” she replied, grabbing onto his arm and giving him a look. 

“I’ll try,” he promised. She let him go, her eyes following him as he left the dressing room. He paused and pulled the string of his thongs up onto his hips for an added effect. Then Aaron turned right, the opposite way of the stage, and exited through a side door. Benjamin was currently performing, and he was killing it. Most of the crowd’s attention was on the stage, but a few people looked Aaron’s way and waved some money in the air. Aaron scanned them quickly, looking for the best target. He went with a group of three, younger men. He nicked the cash from one of them before leaning down into his space. 

“Can I get you anything?” he offered in a soft, sweet voice. The young man stared, his eyes wide and his mouth opened in a gasp. The young ones were always the easiest to work, but they didn’t always pay the best. It was the safest option for now. 

“A-a-a-” 

“He wants a lap dance,” one of the other men explained. Aaron raised an eyebrow and swung his leg over the man’s chair, taking a seat in his lap. 

“First time, baby?” he whispered, resting his arms on the man’s shoulders and batting his eyelashes a bit. The man nodded, swallowing nervously. “Simple rules then. You just let me do all the work and enjoy the ride. Kay?” 

“Okay.” 

“You have the best eyes,” Aaron muttered, mentally kicking himself for the lame line, but it seemed to work wonders as the man went red. Aaron started to roll his hips forward and pushed down into the man’s lap. The stranger was very good, keeping his hands to the side and staring at Aaron with an awed look on his face. Aaron couldn't help but give him a little extra time. Good customers were so hard to come by lately. 

“You should come visit me again,” he offered, saying the words directly in the man’s ear so he could feel Aaron’s breathe on his skin before he pulled away. 

“Me next,” one of the others demanded, holding up more cash than the first. Aaron gave him a smirk and a wink, enjoying the way the young man got suddenly flustered. In all honesty, they were probably around Aaron’s age, but working at the club made him feel years older. He went through the group quickly, collecting over a hundred dollars from them altogether. He had a round of drinks set over on him. One of the best ways to get repeating customers. 

“Hey, bitch,” an older man who already smelled like a bar snapped, grabbing Aaron’s arm, “come here.” 

“Now that’s no way to ask for my attention,” Aaron replied, pulling his arm away and looping it around the man’s neck. He played with what little hair the man had and smiled. “You have to be gentle with me, sir. I’m a delicate flower.” The man’s anger faded at his response. Thank God. Aaron didn’t want to be the target of anyone else’s misfortune tonight. 

“I’ll treat you right,” the man swore, nodding towards the private rooms. 

“Will you buy me all the nicest things?” Aaron asked, holding out his hands as a signal. The man started to frown, but before he could snap or get annoyed, Aaron slide closer and pressed his body up against the man’s side. “I can’t buy sweet, sexy things like this unless good, strong men like you help me. Won’t you help me stay sexy and cute?” Three years ago, Aaron would have thrown up after saying the words, but now they slipped out of his mouth without him thinking about what he was actually saying. This was all an act. A ploy to get the money he needed. He was selling them a fantasy. An idea. A person he would never be. That was the only way he was able to stomach doing this. By reminding himself that it wasn’t real. 

“This enough for you, doll?” the man wondered, sliding him a wad of cash. Not bad. Not the best either, but Aaron could work with this. 

“This is perfect. So perfect.” 

He took the man’s hand, which was clammy, and pulled him towards the private rooms. Some clubs only had curtains, but Wilkinson went the ‘extra’ mile and offered private rooms with real walls and doors. It made the customers feel more secure, but also put the dancers in danger. Some handsy people thought they could get away with more than what was allowed thanks to the walls. Some learned the hard way. Others got away with it because they carried the Royal Gang symbols. Those people were by far the worst of the worst, but Aaron had a good feeling this man wasn’t one of those. 

He checked with Reynolds, the bartender, to make sure he picked an unoccupied room and then pulled the man inside. Each room was set up the same way. Two benches along the side walls in case a group asked for a private session, and then a set of three chairs against the back wall. Aaron gently nudged the man towards one of the chairs, though he’s had people take the benches just because they’re more comfortable. 

“How much for a taste?” the man asked. Aaron struggled not to scowl at the question. 

“That’s naughty,” he warned, “but if you make it worth my while I’ll be happy to let you sneak some touches in.” Sure enough, the man passed him more money and Aaron nodded that it was enough. He took a seat and Aaron got to work. Private dances were the hardest. Being alone with one person made the illusion more obvious. Aaron kept up the act as much as possible, shutting his eyes and moving with the music, but as soon as he felt the man’s hands on his body he couldn’t think about anything else. Thankfully, any shudders just added to the act. The man didn’t get too handsy, keeping it above Aaron’s clothes and mostly going for his ass. The smell of beer made Aaron feel drunk. By the time the session was over, he swore he was swaying on his feet from it. 

“Thanks, doll,” the man praised, slapping Aaron on the ass as he walked out. Aaron flipped him off, making sure he couldn't see and took a moment to compose himself. He still had two hours to go. He made his quota and then some, but he wanted to try for more. Maria’s birthday was coming up and he wanted to spoil her this time. Plus, if they were smart they might be able to save some cash for next week and get ahead of the game. He returned to the floor and looked for his next customer. The night was still young. No one could predict what was going to happen next.

* * *

“Did everyone make the new quota?” James whispered the following night as soon as he arrived at the club. James wasn’t a stage dancer, his health prevented him from getting on the pole, but he worked the floor and helped with the bar. 

“As far as I know, yes,” Maria replied as she straightened her dress. 

“Fucking bullshit,” James muttered under his breath, giving Aaron a pissed look. Aaron nodded in agreement. None of them were happy about the new amount, but what could they do? The Royals owned every strip club in the city, so Wilkinson would know if they tried to go to another, and the other clubs had their own quotas and rules. They were trapped unless they left the city altogether, a dream that Maria and Aaron were still working towards. 

“Did you hear about the shootout?” John wondered, tying his hair back into a ponytail and using some hairspray to make sure it stayed down. 

“I heard. Three Royals dead.” 

“King’s probably pissed.” 

“Let’s hope he doesn’t end up here.” 

“As if he would,” Martha declared, helping Lafayette with his corset. 

“Knock on wood,” Laf warned, his accent getting thicker the tighter the corset became. Lafayette, an immigrant from France, had come to America with dreams of making it in the big city, but he’d been young and foolish enough to sign a contract with a loan shark. He was still working to pay off the never-ending debt, and sometimes the shark came just to mess with him for fun. 

“I wish he’d show up here,” Peggy growled. “I’d give him a taste of my mind.” 

Aaron swore Peggy, who was always the rebel that spoke out, was made of iron. She didn’t seem scared of anything or anyone. She’d been the youngest of three daughters. Her older sisters could do no wrong and were the apples of her parents’ eyes, leaving Peggy out of the spotlight to the point that she acted out for attention. The crack between her family and herself grew into a canyon then Peggy burned the bridge down when she ran away from home. She acted tough, and she was, but she was also extremely protective of all the dancers. She’d been one of the people that helped Aaron the most when he first arrived. Along with Maria and Lafayette. And John. When he was in a good mood. And Theo. They all helped him so much. They were a mismatch of people from a variety of backgrounds, but here they were family. 

“Alright, people! Pay up or else,” Wilkinson called out before he stormed into the dressing room followed by Reynolds, Paterson, a bartender, and a bouncer named Ed. Everyone gathered up their piles of money and held them out. Wilkinson snatched them up one by one, taking the time to count them three times just to be sure it was the right amount before moving on to the next. He paused when he got to Maria, checking hers for a fourth time. Aaron gave his friend a look, but Maria wouldn’t meet his eye. 

“I’m only coming up with $1467, Maria,” Wilkinson declared. 

“Bullshit,” she snapped. “It’s all there.” 

“Are you calling me a liar?” he demanded. Ed and Reynolds moved to flank her while Paterson just leaned against the wall by the door. Aaron stepped forward, but Theo grabbed his arm and pulled him back behind her. Everyone else only stared in fear and anger at the scene. 

“I counted $1500! I swear!” 

“Apparently you can’t fucking count cause this is _not_ $1500!” Wilkinson snapped. 

“I-” Reynolds moved first. It was always Reynolds. 

_Slap!_

Maria’s head whipped to the side. Aaron watched her hands ball into fists, but she only turned back to stare at Wilkinson, keeping her hands at her sides. 

_Slap!_

Her head snapped the other way. Aaron struggled to stay still. 

“Maybe I should raise everyone’s quota to $2000!” Wilkinson threatened. The room was silent. No one spoke. No one moved. They stayed as quiet as mice. What could they do? Wilkinson had the Royal Gang behind him, and he was just a small fry in comparison to some of the other members. Wilkinson looked at them, his eyes narrowing at Aaron before he moved on. “That wouldn’t be fair now would it?” He grabbed Maria’s face and squeezed her cheeks. “Would it?” 

“No,” she forced the word out. 

“But your quota will be $2000 for the next month, and if you miss it one more time, you’ll take a lovely trip to the river,” Wilkinson warned. A few of them gasped at the threat. Benjamin looked ready to bolt if it wasn’t for John holding his hand. Wilkinson scanned the room again before spitting at the floor. 

“Get ready for work, whores,” he snapped. Then he turned on his heels and marched out of the door. Ed followed him, but Reynolds and Paterson lingered for a moment. Reynolds stared at Maria with a creepy look on his face for too long before he too left the dressing room. Paterson sent a look towards Aaron, then offered him a knowing smirk. Aaron stared back with a blank look on his face. Without another word, Paterson left the room. A moment passed and the tension in the room broke. Theo let go of Aaron and rushed to Maria’s side, looking at her face while the others slowly came back to themselves as the fear retreated. 

“Are you okay?” Theo whispered, holding Maria close. Everyone looked away to give them a private moment in the crowded room, busying themselves with random tasks. Aaron frowned as he thought about what happened. He’d counted Maria’s cash beforehand while she counted his. They both had $1500 just like Wilkinson asked for. Something fishy was going down. He targeted Maria for a reason and Aaron didn’t like it. 

“Aaron,” James called, snapping Aaron out of his thoughts. “Let’s go.” 

“Coming,” he replied, giving Maria a knowing look as he passed her. Maria nodded. They would talk about it later for sure. 

Aaron took James’ outstretched hand, squeezing his fingers tightly as they made their way out towards the floor. The day would be a slow day, so he paired up with James to have someone to talk to for most of the night. They wore matching outfits, white shorts with white crop tops and white bow ties around their neck. Innocent little angels. John and Benjamin were dressed as matching demons to go along with the theme. It was an all-male night, but Maria and Theo had shown up to help run the bar and stage. Ed officially opened the doors at 9 p.m., yet the club stayed empty until 10:30 p.m., just before Lafayette was scheduled to go on stage. James and Aaron wandered around to make it look like they were working, but it was hard when there were only four people sitting as close to the stage as possible. Aaron doubted they would get more than ten people tonight unless a large party came in. James and he passed the time by playing twenty questions. 

“Is it a fruit?” 

“Yes.” 

“Does it have a peel you can eat?” 

“Technically, yes.” 

“Technically?” 

“I mean, you could eat it if you wanted to, but I’m not sure it’d be the best idea,” Aaron explained. 

“Is it a banana?” James guessed. 

“Yup.” 

“Lame.” 

“How is that lame!?” 

“That was an easy one.” 

“Better than yours. How in the world was I supposed to guess fucking Pinocchio?” 

“I said it was made of wood,” James argued. 

“Lots of things are made of wood!” Aaron exclaimed. James laughed as he scanned the room, but all the customers were still glued to the stage while Benjamin worked the pole. Aaron glanced over at the bar, his eyes narrowing when he saw Reynolds standing too close to Maria. She was doing a good job ignoring him, but Aaron could only imagine what he was saying to make her scowl that bad. 

“She didn’t tell you,” James stated. Aaron raised an eyebrow in his direction. “Reynolds tried to take her home. Maria told him to get fucked.” 

“That’s why she was short money,” Aaron muttered, “Reynolds ran to Wilkinson with his tail between his legs.” 

“That’s my guess.”

“Fucking dickhead.” 

“Agreed. I bet he’s trying to offer her a way to make the $2000 she needs.” 

“We have a rainy day fund,” Aaron assured him, “She’ll be okay. And if worst comes to worst, I’ll get Paterson on my side and fix this mess.” 

“Be careful, Aaron. Don’t mess with him too much,” James warned. Aaron gave him a soft grin to reassure him. 

“I know what I’m doing, but thanks for caring.” 

“Course I care. We all care. We need to watch out for one another.” 

“We do.” 

“Let me know if you need any help,” James said, grabbing Aaron’s hand and giving him a pleading look. “Please. The moment you think you’re in trouble, tell me.” 

“I will. I promise.” 

They both knew it was a lie, but James’ eyes still softened. Aaron swung their hands as he pulled James across the floor. A man waved them down, asking if he could get two at once. James and him shared matching smiles and agreed. The night moved by slowly, but it wasn’t the worst night Aaron had. James was funny and sweet, and he kept his eye on Maria the whole time to ensure she stayed behind the bar. They clearly had a lot to talk about. And a lot of shit to figure out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to [Abagel ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Abagel/pseuds/Abagel) for being the most amazing beta in the whole world! Without them, this story would not have gotten as far as it has. Thank you my friend!


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the kudos! Makes me feel all warm inside!

“I know what you’re going to say,” Maria whispered as they walked up their stairs to their apartment. They didn’t want to wake their neighbors. Five out of the seven were good people, kind and helpful, but the other two were trouble and seemed to wake up at the slightest noise. It was still early in the morning, before the sun had even thought about coming over the horizon, and they didn’t need any additional trouble. “And I’m not ready to talk about it.” 

“You should have told me.” 

“See, I knew it.” 

“Maria.” 

“Aaron, don’t. Just don’t,” she begged. “I know you wanted me to tell you, but I couldn’t okay? I didn’t know...I...” 

“Alright, we won’t talk about it,” Aaron agreed in order to spare her the pain. He’d never seen her so choked up before. She’d always been so strong, so capable. Something really fucking bad had to have happened for her to get so rattled. They made it to their floor, walking down the hall to their beaten up white door. Aaron pulled out his keys and opened it while Maria gently knocked on their neighbor’s door. They called beforehand to warn her that they were coming home, but Maria was still patient as she waited for the door to open. An older woman with gray hair and smile lines around her mouth appeared in the doorway. She rubbed her eyes for a moment before offering them both a bright smile. 

“She’s still asleep,” Yuma said gently, stepping out of the way so Maria could disappear inside the apartment. “I made some banana bread and have some left over if you want it.”

“That would be great,” Aaron agreed. He’d learned it was better to take what was offered than argue with the older woman. She ventured back into her apartment, returning a moment later with a large bread tin. Aaron took it from her with a grin. 

“This is all that’s left over?” he joked. Yuma only smiled and patted his shoulder as Maria reappeared carrying a young girl in her arms. 

“She had a good night. Ate all her veggies and did her homework.” 

“Thank you, Yuma. I’ll bring your money later,” Maria promised, rubbing the young girl’s back to keep her asleep as they talked. 

“Nonsense. How many times do I have to tell you not to bother, sweet pea?” Yuma wondered. 

“Only about a thousand more.” 

“Get yourselves to bed as soon as you can,” she ordered, waving her finger at them in a way that should be stern but came off as adorable. 

“We’re going,” Aaron assured her, letting Maria go into their apartment first. 

He waved at Yuma before walking in and shutting the door behind him. He made sure the deadbolt was latched, adding the security chain for good measure, then headed for the bedroom. A old queen sized mattress sat on a box spring in the corner underneath a small, dingy window. A plastic storage tub served as a side table, holding a picture frame, their phone charges, and a small piggy bank. The closet was so full of clothes that the doors couldn’t slide anymore. They had tried to sort through it, but neither of them had the energy to organize that mess. The books Aaron had collected over the years, many of them from when he first ran away, were piled against one wall on top of milk crates to protect them from the moisture in the floor. A small desk, which they’d gotten off the curb, was against the other wall. A pile of Maria’s paintings sat on top along with her supplies. She hadn’t painted in weeks. She tried to suggest they sell her supplies, but Aaron refuses to let her. He would sell some of his books first before Maria got rid of her art. 

Aaron made his way across the room, kicked off his shoes, and fell face first into the bed. He didn’t even bother changing his clothes before he slide under the covers. It felt so fucking good to be off his feet. He could really use a shower, but he’d save that for later after he got a few hours of sleep. He left space by the wall for Maria. It didn’t take long for her to join him in the dark room. Neither of them bothered with turning the lights on.

“She still asleep?” he mumbled against his pillow. 

“Yeah. Out like a light,” Maria replied. She kicked off her tennis shoes, sending them flying across the room, and pulled her sweatshirt off. They both wore sweats on the way home. It was safer to keep their costumes at the club then try to walk home in any of them. Plus it prevented random strangers from trying to pick them up, or cops from mistaking them for people of the night. Cops were just as bad as the gangs. You might be lucky and run into a good cop, but then you had to deal with someone who wanted to help you change your life around. Someone who didn’t understand you couldn’t suddenly fix your situation by going to school or getting another job. The bad cops were annoying, entitled, but at least Aaron and Maria new how to deal with them. Getting rid of good cops took more effort. 

“She has a school play on Thursday,” Maria reminded him, crawling into bed next to him and pressing up against the wall. It worked out well that she liked sleeping with the wall nearby and Aaron liked being by the edge. 

“At seven right?” 

“Yeah. Just enough time for us to see it, bring her to Yuma, then get to work.” 

“I still think you should talk to Tina about taking your early shift,” Aaron suggested. 

“It’ll be fine.” 

“I know it’ll be fine, but you should spend some time with Susan. Have a girl’s night.” Maria’s daughter had turned nine two months ago. Aaron didn’t know who her father was, and he never asked. Maria did everything she could to give Susan a good life, but there were countless challenges. Thankfully, Yuma was more than happy to watch Susan every night. She was a good kid, smart and sweet and kind. Just like her mom in so many ways. 

“We will,” Maria promised. 

“When?” Aaron challenged. 

“Soon.” 

“How soon?” 

“I don’t know, okay? We have other shit to figure out still.” 

“Maria-” he turned over to look at her, taking her hands, “I’ve got your back. You know that. Whatever you need, just tell me. You don’t have to tell me why. You don’t have to explain. Just let me help you.” 

“I need some time to think,” Maria replied. “I’m not trying to keep secrets from you or make you worry, but I have some things to figure out and I need to figure them out by myself.” 

“Alright. I’m still going to worry, but I’ll get out of your ass.” 

Maria giggled, shaking her head as she pulled a blanket up over her shoulders and snuggled down against the mattress. Aaron smiled as he watched before turning back over to face the edge of the bed. 

“Good night,” he whispered. 

“Night,” Maria replied. She’d be out in a few minutes just like always, but sleep didn’t always come so easily to Aaron. 

Sometime when he closed his eyes, all he could see was his uncle’s face. He wished he could get over the pain, yet it still lingered on his soul. He’d been forced to live through so many years of pain just because no one would believe that a man like his uncle, a respected businessman who volunteered at the church and smiled at all the old ladies, could abuse his nephew. Aaron ran away twice before, once to the police and the second to a friend’s house. The police simply returned him home with a warning not to make up lies. Then his friend’s parents had turned him out after refusing to listen to more the five words of his story. The third time Aaron ran, he went far far away where his uncle would never be able to find him. 

He’d only been seventeen at the time. He’d been smart enough to steal some cash from his uncle for food and a hotel room. The only problem was he had no plan for the future and no idea what to do with himself. He was too young. Too naive. He thought that just because he escaped his uncle things would be better. But he was wrong. He hit a dead end and had nowhere to go. He tried applying for college, but without an adult to sign for loans he was denied time and time again. No one would hire him to work minimum wage once they found out how old he was. He couldn’t drive. Couldn’t go home. He was wandering in a park one day when a plastic ball slammed into his face. 

The ball belonged to Susan, who’d only been four at the time. Aaron returned the ball to her with a smile, aware of her mother’s eyes the whole time. Maria had introduced herself with a tight smile, then asked Aaron his age. She asked a few other pointed questions before asking if he needed a job. Aaron thought she was kidding. She wasn’t. That night he went to the club and started working under the table. Wilkinson didn’t give a shit. He didn’t even ask Aaron how old he was. He just warned him not to cause any trouble and not to fuck up. Maria started him on the bar, teaching him how to mix drinks and earn tips, but it didn’t make him as much money as dancing did. Maria tried to keep him off the stage until he was eighteen, as if a year made that big of a difference. Still, he agreed and for a year he worked the bar and waited for his chance.

Maria took him in after four days once she found out he was living in a hotel. The two bedroom apartment wasn’t the best, nor located in a great area of the city, but it was a roof over his head and there was amazing company. Maria started teaching Aaron three days after his eighteenth birthday. He couldn’t get on stage without knowing some moves. That’s where Lafayette and John and the others came in. They taught him their own steps to add to his dances. Maria taught him how to wear makeup. Lafayette showed him how to walk the best in heels. John made him practice punching just in case someone tried to get handsy without Aaron’s consent.

He was just shy of nineteen when he took the stage for the first time, and now three years later he felt like he’d been doing it his whole life. There were worst jobs. He was just thankful to have such amazing friends to help him along the way. That’s all Maria was. A friend. Or maybe a sister that he wished he always had. She wasn’t his type, given that he was gay, but he enjoyed the affection they shared between them. He knew he wasn’t her type either. Theo was more her cup of tea, though they were both dragging their feet in the worst way possible. 

Once Aaron was sure Maria was asleep, he turned over and reached out to hold onto her shirt. Such a small thing, which Maria never mentioned, but it helped ground Aaron to the present and kept the memories at bay as he closed his eyes. He was safe and welcomed here. He didn’t have to be scared. He didn’t have to worry. They were a team. They had friends that would help them. Overall, Aaron was happy. He wished he didn’t have to deal with the quota, or men like Wilkinson at all, but he had to take the bad with the good. Other people would never understand given his profession, but he was and he wasn’t going to let anything change that. Not if he could help it.

* * *

“Where are you going?” Patterson asked as Aaron walked passed the bar towards Wilkinson’s office. 

“None of your business,” he snapped, giving Patterson a harsh glare as his heels clicked against the floor. The music faded into the background the further away he got from the floor. For a moment, he worried that Patterson might follow him and cause trouble, but when he looked over his shoulder the hallway was still empty. He waited a moment longer just to be sure, then turned back and continued towards the single closed door at the end of the wall passed the bathrooms. He lazily knocked on the wood. 

“Better be fucking important,” Wilkinson warned as Aaron opened the door. The office was a mess of liquor bottles, old cigarette boxes, paper, and God knows what else. Wilkinson’s desk, an oversized wooden monstrey, featured the same mess along with piles of cash and drugs. The man himself sat in a fancy leather chair. He didn’t even bother to look up as Aaron walked into the room. 

“I’m not changing Maria’s quota,” he said. “You can cry and complain all you want, but you’re not gonna change my mind.” 

“That’s not why I’m here,” Aaron replied. “What day does the new shipment come in?” 

Wilkinson paused his work to look up at Aaron now, his eyes narrowing at the question. He knew what Aaron was talking about. The paperwork was all over his desk. Once a week, King brought in a new shipment of drugs for his dealers in the city. No one in the club used any, though Wilkinson had tried to push it on some of them when they first arrived. Drug running wasn’t a major economic part of King’s empire, but having control of the source kept other gangs from growing bigger. Aaron was pretty sure he knew what day the new drugs came in; however, he needed to be sure before he said his piece. 

“Friday. What’s it to you?” 

“Heard Victor talking to one of his buddies,” Aaron explained, keeping his voice casual. “He was talking about a shipment coming in on Thursday. Said something else about meeting at the Northern Park for a pick up.” 

“Say that again,” Wilkinson ordered. Suddenly, all his attention was on Aaron and his eyes had started to go wide. 

“Victor came in with someone new, I’ve never seen him before, but they got talking and I heard them mention a deal, then a shipment. Didn’t really pay attention until they got the date wrong. Thought maybe I misheard them, but then the guy said in two days. That’ll be Thursday, not Friday. Plus, I thought the shipment came in through the docks, not some park.” 

“It does,” Wilkinson confirmed, reaching up to rub a hand over his mouth as his shock slowly faded into realization. “Which would means....”

“Victor has another source.” 

“You sure he said the Northern Park?” 

“I’m only 95% sure on that part. Still better than nothing.” 

“Way better than nothing. Anyone else hear this?” 

“I don’t think so. They were pretty far from anyone else and from the stage,” Aaron answered. Which made them stupid. Aaron lost track of how many times people had spilled secrets while he was dancing. Apparently they forgot that dancers still had ears even when they were working. He’d heard about affairs, fraud, petty crimes, serious crimes, and weird fetishes, but this was the first time he heard something that he knew Wilkinson would want to know. And information could buy a lot in a city like this. If Victor was running drugs under King’s nose, then King would wanna know about it. Wilkinson could make good money by being the one to bring Victor down for his boss. Which meant Aaron could make money too. 

“Did they leave yet?” Wilkinson wondered, reaching for his cell and unlocking it with a number code that Aaron didn’t bother trying to see. 

“No. I told Tina to bring them another round on me to keep them busy.” 

“Perfect. Go keep an eye on them. I’ll be out in a second. I need to make a call,” Wilkinson ordered. 

“Got it.” 

“Tell Ed to come back here too.” 

“If I’m right....” Aaron trailed off. 

“Don’t get ahead of yourself,” Wilkinson cut him off. “We’ll talk about it after I talk to some people.” 

“Fine.” 

They would talk later. Aaron would make sure of it. He left the office quickly, making his way back down the hallway and around the bar. He waved down Ed from where he was standing by the private rooms and passed along Wilkinson’s request. He rolled his eyes, but went back towards the office anyway. Patterson stared at Aaron from the bar, aggressively cleaning a tall glass the whole time. Aaron ignored him and got back to work, scanning the room for Victor and his friend. They were still sitting in the corner drinking a couple of fresh beers. 

Aaron kept his eyes on them as he made his way around the floor. It didn’t take long for Wilkinson to come out of his office with Ed. He walked over to Victor and greeted him like an old friend, pulling him in for a hug and snapping his fingers at Tina for another round. Aaron didn’t know what he expected to happen, but this wasn’t it. He shrugged, deciding it was best not to worry about it anymore just as two men flag him down for some dances. Aaron got back to work, pushing the drama out of his mind. He went to the bar afterwards to get some drinks for his well satisfied customers. 

“Two Jack and Coke,” he told Patterson, turning toward the floor for his next job. 

“What did you need Wilkinson for?” Patterson asked. 

“Still none of your business.” 

“Just trying to be friendly.” 

“We both know what your type of friendly is,” Aaron grumbled. If he had a dollar for every time Patterson tried to get him into bed he’d could easily make his quota for the year. The guy just didn’t know how to take a hint. Or he just didn’t care. 

“Don’t be like that,” Patterson begged as he mixed the drinks Aaron needed. “I’m just trying to look out for you.” 

“I don’t need you looking out for me. I can take care of myself.”

“Can you?”

“Yes.” 

“You’re wasted here, Aaron,” Patterson declared. “Wasted. You could be doing so much more.” 

“Oh trust me, I know,” he agreed with a smile as he took the drinks from Patterson before he could say another word. If he stayed there another minute he would say something he’d regretted. Fucking Patterson. Just because he was Wilkinson’s right hand he thought he could walk all over them, but Aaron wouldn’t let him. He’d been careful not to cross the line so far, but the day would come when Patterson was going to get sick of him saying no. He turned on his heels and marched back towards his previous clients. He didn’t notice the hush in the room until he saw that the men were too busy staring at the door to notice his arrival. He looked over and nearly dropped the drinks at the sight. 

In the doorway of the club stood George King in all his glory. The leader of the Royal Gang wore a light grey three piece suit tailored to his body with a green tie. He wasn’t a large man, but his powerful presence made it feel as if he was ten feet tall. He was handsome with his blue eyes and perfectly styled hair, which wasn’t what Aaron expected. On his right was Samuel Seabury, his top consigliere, in a plain black suit. Wilkinson jumped to his feet and made his way over to King, taking the man’s hand and kissing the back of it as a show of respect. King barely paid any attention to Wilkinson. While he talked, King’s eyes moved over the room. No one moved. No one spoke. Everyone was frozen in fear like prey under the watchful eye of an apex predator. Why was he here? What did he want? Nothing good was going to come from him being here. 

“Victor,” King called out, a bright smile appear on his face. He started towards the drug runner and his friend. Seabury trailed after him along with two broad, strong looking men. 

“King,” Victor replied, standing up and repeating the same greeting as Wilkinson. 

“Let’s talk,” the gang leader suggested, reaching up to grab Victor by the back of his neck and leading him towards the back office. One of the unknown men grabbed Victor’s friend and forced him to follow while Wilkinson trailed behind like a lost puppy. The crowd of people watched and waited until King was out of view before moving. Some people fled, paying out their tabs and leaving the club as quickly as possible. Others gathered together to whisper about the new development. Aaron quickly found Maria, grabbing her hand as soon as she was close. 

“What the fuck is going on?” she whispered. 

“I don’t know,” he confessed. James and Benjamin joined them with fearful looks in their eyes. They weren’t supposed to congregate on the floor, but Aaron doubted that anyone would whine about it this time. 

“Confession time,” Aaron muttered, “I may have had something to do with this.” 

_“What?!”_ Benjamin hissed. 

“I heard Victor talking about somes hit and told Wilkinson about it, but I didn’t think he would involve King.” 

“Maybe it’s not about that?” James suggested. They all shared a look of doubt. 

“Let’s just focus on work,” Maria told them, getting them back on task. “Ben, you’re up on stage in a bit so go get ready. James, check the bar and see if Patterson needs help. Aaron and I will timeout the private rooms.” 

“Aye aye captain,” Benjamin teased. Maria stuck her tongue out at him as he made his way backstage, but his joke helped all of them relax. 

Whatever King wanted, didn’t concern them. They needed to focus on themselves and their own lives. Getting involved in other people’s business was how you ended up in a gutter. Aaron followed Maira to the private rooms, knocking on each door one after another to check if anyone was inside since Ed had been pulled away from his job. 

“Angel!” Wilkinson called from besides the bar. “Get over here.” 

Maria and Aaron shared a look. He shrugged and walked over. Without a word, Wilkinson headed down the hall. Aaron looked back over his shoulder at Maria, noticing a worrisome look on her face. He tired to smile encouragingly, but he wasn’t sure it was enough to calm her fears as he followed towards the office for the second time that night. King’s men were standing just outside. They both nodded to Aaron towards the open door. He gave them an unsure look as he walked in. 

His blood went cold at the sight laid out in front of him. Part of the messy office had been sprayed with red. Victor’s friend laid in the middle of the floor with a hole in his head, a pool of blood underneath. Aaron covered his mouth, unable to hide his reaction. He’d seen death before at a young age, but never like this. His stomach turned over on itself, threatening to make his dinner reappear. 

“Aaron,” Wilkinson said his name. “Aaron!” 

He finally pulled his eyes away from the body to look up at the man. Wilkinson tilted his head towards King, who was casually sitting in Wilkinson’s chair with Seabury hovering nearby. Victor was nowhere to be seen, but Aaron didn’t care about where he was or what happened to him. He was better off not knowing. A gun sat on top of the desk like a warning. Aaron struggled not to turn and run. His body was screaming for him to flee, yet he forced himself to stay still as King openly stared at him. 

“Is it Aaron or Angel?” King wondered, tilting his head to the side curiously. 

“Aaron,” he answered. “Angel is just a stage name.” 

“It’s fitting.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Wilkinson, take a walk,” King snapped. Aaron jumped at the words. Wilkinson scowled at the order, but obeyed without complaining. As soon as he was out of the office, the door closed and Aaron was trapped. 

“Don’t be scared,” Seabury assured him with a kind grin.”You’re not in any trouble.” 

“No trouble at all,” King agreed, standing up from the chair and making his way around the desk. He stepped over the body without a single care about the mess. Aaron’s eyes were drawn to the puddle of blood that continued to get bigger and bigger. He knew stuff like this happened, knew King was behind nearly all the murders in the city, but facing it head on was a completely different story then hearing about it on the radio. King suddenly put a hand on Aaron’s shoulder and lifted his chin to take his eyes off the dead man. “Wilkinson told me you’re the one that clued him in about Victor’s misdeed. Is that right?” 

“Yes, sir,” Aaron muttered, unable to speak any louder thanks to the fear wrapped around his throat and chest. 

“Can you tell me what you heard again? I want to be sure we got the information right,” he explained, his voice unnervingly calm. 

“I heard...” he paused to take a deep breathe. King’s hands on him only made things so much worse. “I heard Victor talking to that...that man about a shipment coming in on Thursday at the North Park. I tried to listen more carefully after that to make sure I heard right. I didn’t want to rush back here and get stuff wrong. They said a package was coming in two days at the park.” 

“Did you tell anyone else about what you heard?” 

“No.” 

“Really?” 

“I swear,” Aaron quickly assured him. “I told Wilkinson, then got back to work. I didn’t mention it to anyone else.” A long moment of silence passed through the room. Aaron focused on his breathing, even shutting his eyes for a moment in an effort to keep himself calm and steady. 

“I believe you,” King said, leaning down to talk directly in Aaron’s ear. “You’re too sweet to try and cause any trouble.” A shiver ran down Aaron’s spine at the words. The man suddenly let him go and walked back towards the desk. 

“Good deeds should be rewarded, right Seabury?” 

“Of course,” the man agreed, giving Aaron a proud look that made his sick to his stomach. 

“Pay our sweet Angel for his troubles.” 

Seabury came over and offered Aaron the biggest wad of cash he’d ever seen. His eyes widened at the sight. It had to be $10,000 or more. Was King really going to give him that much just for some information? Or was this a trick? Should he try to say no? Would that be seen as offensive? 

“Go ahead,” Searbury gently pushed. “You’ve earned it.”

“That’s so much,” Aaron couldn’t stop the comment from slipping passed his lips. King and Seabury laughed at his words. 

“That’s nothing to me,” King assured him, “and I’m a man who likes to reward the people who help me.” Aaron finally reached out and took the money from Seabury, still staring at it in awe. 

“Let Wilkinson know if you hear anything else,” Seabury ordered. 

“I-I will.” 

“You’re too cute to be working in a club like this,” King suddenly said, pulling Aaron’s attention away from the money. “You’re so sweet I just want to eat you up.” 

“Thank you?” Aaron replied in confusion. King only smiled at him before giving Seabury an unreadable look. Seabury appeared to understand, pulling out his phone and tapping away at the screen. 

“You can go back to work now,” Seabury told him. Aaron looked between the two men, trying to understand what was going on under the surface, but he quickly gave up and got out of the office as quickly as possible. Wilkinson was waiting on the other side. 

“Good job, Aaron,” he praised, slapping Aaron’s shoulder as he walked by. 

“Thanks,” Aaron muttered. He almost ran down the hallway back to the floor, but detoured at the last second into the bathroom. He shoved open a stall, fell to his knees, and emptied his stomach into the toilet as everything hit him all at once. Someone was dead because of him. Because he told Wilkinson about what he heard. Who knows what would happen to Victor too. Once his stomach calmed down, Aaron looked at the money again. A quick count put him at $12,000. That’s how much a man’s life had been worth. It was going to help Maria and him so much, but had it been worth it? Tears gathered in Aaron’s eyes. He forced them back. He didn’t want to ruin his makeup anymore then he already had. 

He wiped his mouth with toilet paper and climbed back up to his feet. He checked his appearance in the mirror to be sure he was presentable before leaving the bathroom for the floor. He nodded at Patterson and Lafayette, who was standing at the bar, as he quickly navigated through the tables towards backstage. He barely noticed the other dancers getting changed as he made his way over to his lock box and put in the combination. He shoved the money inside like it was on fire, slamming the lockbox shut quickly. 

“Are you okay?” Tina wondered. Aaron nodded his head, giving her the same easy smile that he used for customers. 

“I’m okay. Just drama with Wilkinson and shit like that.” 

Tina didn’t look like she was convinced, but she left him alone about it. Aaron sat on one of the stools and took a moment to compose himself. He needed to get his head on straight. Needed to focus and stop worrying about what happened. It wasn’t his fault the man was dead. He didn’t fire the gun. He gave Wilkinson information, but he didn’t control King’s actions. He still felt guilty, and he knew he needed to tell someone, yet he swore to keep his mouth shut as he stood back up and head towards the floor. This was his burden to bear. He could handle it. He had to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you are enjoying this new story! 
> 
> You may have noticed that two relationships for Aaron Burr are tagged. This will not remain the case. I did that because I have yet to decide which relationship will be the end goal of the story. To help me make my choice, I've created this [poll](https://goo.gl/forms/0Zzi4pz42DsjgHd92) where readers can vote for which relationship they want to see happen. 
> 
> The poll will stay open until March 29, and after that the tags will change.
> 
> If you have any questions, you can always sent me a message on my tumblr [@holdthesewords](https://holdthesewords.tumblr.com/)


	3. Chapter 3

“Why didn’t you say no?” 

“Oh yes, Maria, that’s a great idea! Let me just tell the biggest mob boss in the city no! That won’t end with me in a gutter or anything like that!” 

“Don’t yell at me!” 

“You yelled first!” 

“Just tell me what’s going on!” Maria begged, her voice cracking as she slammed her hand down on the counter in the kitchen. 

Thankfully, Susan had already gone off with Yuma so they were alone in the apartment. The last thing Aaron wanted was for the young girl to see them fighting, especially about this. Three days after his first meeting with the gang leader, a video of Victor appeared online for everyone to see. It showcased the man being cut in half by a circular saw. Wilkinson had forced all the dancers to watch it. Poor James nearly fainted. Tina and Lindsay both threw up. Aaron still had nightmares about it. The video came with a warning at the end. Anyone even thinking about moving against King would end up facing the same fate. Six days later, Aaron received an invitation to King’s penthouse. Wilkinson had made it very clear that King expected Aaron to accept, or else. Aaron didn’t want to find out what would happen if he declined. Would he end up like Victor or worse? 

“I told you everything I know,” Aaron insisted. 

“You’re lying. I know you’re lying. Why won’t you tell me the truth?” 

“I...” She wasn’t wrong. He hadn’t told her about the dead body, nor that he was the one who reported Victor to Wilkinson. Part of him was afraid that Maria would blame him for their deaths. The knowledge was weighing him down, and he didn’t want to force Maria to carry it too. 

“Aaron, we’re supposed to trust each other,” she said. Aaron looked away, shaking his head. 

“You didn’t tell me anything about Reynolds,” he challenged. Maria’s face turned stormy at the reminder. 

“King is on a completely different level than him,” Maria argued. “And you’re going alone.” 

“I’ll be fine.” 

“What if you’re not?” Maria asked. “What if you don’t come back? What am I supposed to do then?” 

“Maria, you know that won’t–” 

“It could!” she snapped, but her voice was wet and the tears came so quickly to her eyes that the all fight left Aaron’s body.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, opening his arms. Maria threw herself at him and held on tightly. 

“I can’t lose you. I can’t.” 

“You won’t. I promise you won’t. I’ll be careful. I...” He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep his own tears at bay. “I’m the reason Victor’s dead.” 

“What?”

“I heard him talking about shit and I told Wilkinson who told King,” Aaron explained, the words rushing out of him now that the dam was broken. The tears escaped no matter how hard he tried to make them stop. The images of the dead body and the video played in his mind. “I got him in trouble and I’m the reason King killed him. That’s why King came to the club and why Wilkinson called me back. King wanted to know what I heard and when I got back there....he’d already killed someone. Shot him in the head and just left him there on the floor like he didn’t care.” 

“Aaron,” Maria muttered, pulling away to look at his face. He refused to meet her eyes. 

“It’s my fault.” 

“Bull fucking shit,” she protested. “You didn’t do anything wrong. Wilkinson told King. King killed them. You didn’t do any of that.” 

“But I put the bullet in the chamber.” 

“No, you didn’t. You didn’t know what was going to happen. How could you?” 

“I...I didn’t want to tell you cause I was scared that you’d be mad at me.” 

“Aaron. Honey. Baby boy, no. Never,” Maria insisted, grabbing his cheeks and forced him to look at her. “I’m not mad at you for telling Wilkinson. I’m upset you didn’t tell me, but not mad. That’s a lot to carry by yourself.” 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, sniffing loudly as his nose started to run. 

“Shhhh. Don’t be. Don’t be, sweetheart.” 

He loved it when she called him pet names. It annoyed him when anyone else did, but not Maria. It was comforting when she used them. Even though she was only seven years older than him she acted more like a sister. Aaron couldn’t help but enjoy when she acted like a mother hen. She did it to Susan as well, calling her daughter ‘little princess,’ ‘treasure,’ and ‘sweetie.’ Susan didn’t mind either. She loved the names and replied with her own. Maria was often ‘captain,’ or ‘goddess,’ which said a lot about how Susan saw her mother. 

“You have so much to worry about and here I am making trouble and being stupid,” Aaron said. “That’s why I didn’t want to tell you at first.” 

“You’re not stupid. And you don’t cause trouble.”

“I don’t want to go, but if I don’t...” Aaron trailed off. 

“I know,” Maria confessed, “I know you don’t really get a choice. I wish I could protect you. It’s my job to keep you safe, but I can’t do shit against him.” 

“You’ve done so much for me,” Aaron replied, reaching up to take one of her hands. “And I’m grateful that I have you and Susan. I’ll be careful and I’ll text you as often as I can to keep you updated.” 

“I’d like that,” she agreed, kissing his forehead and pulling him in for a tight hug. Aaron clung to her, feeling the weight lift off his shoulders. 

“I should tell you about Reynolds,” she admitted as she pulled away. 

“Tell me when you’re ready,” Aaron quickly told her before she could keep going. “I shouldn’t push you to talk about it. I know it’s been affecting you and you need time.” 

“It’s not fair for you to talk about your pain while I keep secrets.” 

“Maybe not. But the world isn’t fair. Plus I still need your help picking out an outfit.” 

Maria looked ready to protest, but Aaron took her hand and dragged her out of the kitchen into their bedroom. He gently shoved her towards the bed before going over to their closet. He had a few ideas about what he should wear, but he wanted Maria’s opinion. He pulled out his ideas, throwing them towards Maria until she was nearly covered in clothes. 

“You plan to wear all this?” she joked. 

“Maybe I should,” Aaron replied with a smile. He watched her shift through the option he’d given her, holding some of them up and looking at Aaron then shaking her head. Finally, she selected a pair of dark jeans, a deep purple long sleeve button shirt, and a black jacket. 

“Are you sure that’s not too plain?” Aaron wondered as he replaced his sweater with the purple shirt first. 

“Wear the matching purple shorts underneath,” Maria suggested. 

“Good idea. I knew there was a reason I liked you,” he teased, grabbing the shorts she mentioned from the closet. He kicked off his sweatpants and quickly finished getting dressed. Maria got up from the bed, slapping his hands away to fix all the tiny details 

“Without me, you’d never have any fashion sense,” she declared. Aaron didn’t even bother arguing the fact. She kept fixing the collar of his shirt over and over again. Aaron let her do it a few more times before grabbing her hands. 

“I’ll be okay,” he promised again. Maria nodded, though the smile she tried to give him didn’t reach her eyes at all. 

“Let me do your makeup,” she requested. 

“Of course.” 

Together, they relocated to the bathroom for better lighting. Aaron sat on the toilet as Maria got out her makeup supplies. He shut his eyes, letting the familiar routine calm all his nerves. He could do this. He would be okay. He had to be. As long as he kept a level head he’d come out alright. And he’d return home to Maria and Susan and all his other friends. That was his plan. He’s going to stick to it.

* * *

Aaron shifted from one foot to the other as the elevator climbed higher and higher. He glanced at the men in the elevator with him, the same two men that came with King to the club that night. Neither of them paid him any attention. They hadn’t said a single word to him since they picked him up from the club in the fanciest car Aaron had ever seen. They only made him more nervous. He wasn’t sure what to expect. Didn’t know how to act. Finally, after so fucking long, the elevator door opened on the 32 floor and Aaron was freed of the small closed space. The men flanked him on either side as he walked towards a pair of double doors. He raised a hand to politely knock, but the door on the right opened before his hand could meet wood. 

“There you are!” Seabury declared with an over the top smile. “Right on time!” He grabbed Aaron’s arm and dragged him into the penthouse. 

He had an image in his mind when he heard the word ‘penthouse’ and this was nowhere near what he thought it would be. All the walls except one were a bright white, stretching high up towards the coffered ceiling. The wall to Aaron’s left featured an archway that appeared to lead into the kitchen while the wall straight ahead was filled with countless paneled windows that overlooked the city below. Each window had sixteen panels of glass set in iron and multiple sets of long red curtains had been pushed to the side. To Aaron’s right, the wall was painted a dark red with two wooden doors. A large, old mirror with a carved frame hung between them. Hanging down from the ceiling in the center of the room was an antique looking chandelier with electric light bulbs. The carpet was also white, but a series of rugs had been spread throughout the room. 

“Can I take your jacket?” Seabury offered, holding out his hands and nodding to the small door directly to his left where he assumed a closet was waiting. Aaron silently shook his head. 

“Samuel, you never ask a stripper to remove their clothes without giving them cash first,” King called out with a chuckle. Aaron almost made a face at the comment, but he quickly schooled his face into a friendly look. 

“Thank you for the offer,” he told Samuel, “but my jacket is important to my outfit and my dancing.” 

“Ohhhh. Sorry! I didn’t think about that.” 

“It’s okay,” Aaron assured him, reaching out to gently put his hand on the man’s chest and slowly pushing him back to clear his path. Samuel’s eyebrows lifted, yet his smile only grew. The furniture in the penthouse matched the interior details. King was lounging on a long white couch with wooden details along the arms. A low glass coffee table sat in front of him with a bottle of whiskey and two small glasses. There was a shiny grand piano in the corner, a pair of matching red armchairs with a golden leaf pattern, and a grandfather clock against the windows. Aaron took his time to look around, trying to think of multiple exits in case he needed to make a quick getaway.

“Do you like it?” King asked. 

“It’s impressive,” Aaron replied. “Very impressive. Do you play the piano?” 

“I do.” 

“Maybe you should play for me.” 

“We’ll see,” King agreed, his eyes looking Aaron over slowly. “Were you surprised by my invitation?” 

“Yes,” Aaron confessed. 

“I thought so. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since that night. Come over here.” 

Aaron obeyed, walking over to King and taking a seat next to him. He made sure to sit as close as possible, pressing his leg against the other man’s and leaning in. King’s outfit was just as powerful as that night at the club, though he had forgone a jacket, leaving him in a red button shirt and black pants. The color combination screamed authority while the expensive watch on his wrist called attention to his wealth. This was a dangerous man, a predator at the top of the ecosystem. King’s eyes scanned his face, paying a noticeable amount of attention to his lips. Maria had skipped the lipstick and gone with gloss instead, making Aaron’s lips shiny and soft. He felt like a piece of meat. He could only hope he wasn’t the King’s next meal. 

“Can’t say that I’m worthy of your attention,” Aaron whispered. 

“What makes you say that?” 

“Well, you’re the King. You could have anything and anyone in the world and I’m just....me. I’m not sure I’ll be up to your standards.” 

“With a face like yours, you’re already halfway there. And Wilkinson said you’re one of his best dancers.” 

“Awwwww. How sweet of him.” Aaron cooed, “I’m guessing you want me to give you a private show?” 

“I would like that,” King said, giving him a smirk. Aaron leaned even farther to whisper in his ear, but the man cut him off. “But first, dinner!” 

He jumped off the couch and offered Aaron his hand. Aaron blinked a few times in confusion, trying to understand what was happening. He carefully took King’s hand and stood up, allowing the man to lead him towards the kitchen. It was just as impressive as the rest of the penthouse. Stainless steel and dark wood cabinets with two stacked ovens and a large fridge. King pulled Aaron into a side room where a long wooden table covered with a red tablecloth sat in the center, surrounded by twelve or so chairs. Two plates had been placed at one end with a series of serving dishes in front. 

“I hope you’re not a vegetarian. I like my steak,” King proclaimed as he dragged Aaron over to the set spots, taking the seat at the head of the table. Aaron took the other, looking at the food options. They weren’t bad. There was a plate of steaks, a bowl of mashed potatoes, another of roasted carrots, something that Aaron guessed would be sweet potatoes, and a covered dish farther away. A bottle of wine sat close by. 

“I like steak too,” Aaron commented, waiting for King to get started first. The man wasted no time in dishing out some food, offering each one to Aaron after. Aaron was careful to only take enough that he knew he could eat. He didn’t want to seem wasteful or greedy. King grabbed the wine and opened it, pouring some in Aaron’s glass first. 

“This is probably my favorite meal to eat,” King explained as he picked up his steak knife. “Along with tacos. Tacos are great.” 

“They are,” Aaron agreed. 

“Now tell me, how did a sweet boy like you end up at one of my clubs?” 

“Luck.” 

“Luck? That’s it? That’s your answer?” King didn’t seem impressed, his lips turning into a thin line. 

“In a way, yes,” Aaron explained, taking a bit of his steak to give himself time. “I consider myself very lucky to be at the club. I met one of the other dancers when I needed help the most, and she helped me learn everything I needed to know so I could do well at the club. If I hadn’t met her, I wouldn’t be sitting here today.” 

King hummed a bit, grabbing his glass of wine and taking a large sip. “Do you know how I became a mob boss?” 

“I’ve heard stories,” he confessed, though he wasn’t sure if any of them were true. 

“I bet you have. Do you want to know the truth?” 

“That depends,” Aaron replied. King raised an eyebrow. Aaron placed his elbow on the table and leaned towards the man with a curious look. “Do you pinky promise to tell me the real truth?” 

“Pinky promise?” King echoed, an excited grin appear on his face suddenly. “I haven’t done one of those in years.” 

“Pinky promises are serious business,” Aaron warned, pushing his bottom lip out to create a perfect pout. It was all an act, and probably one of his bests judging by the way King’s eyes sparkled. The man offered Aaron his pinky. 

“I promise to tell you the truth.” 

Aaron linked their pinky fingers together, then placed a kiss over them. He kept his eyes on the mob boss the whole time, offering the brightest smile he could as he pulled away. King kept their pinkies linked for a little longer before finally let go. Aaron returned to his meal, but he kept his attention on King through his eyelash.

“What have you been told about me?” he wondered. There were countless stories about how King got started. Some said he was ex–military. Others claimed he was a disowned prince. Aaron even heard one story that King was a supernatural being. Stories that created more fear and made it seem impossible to stand up against the man, which Aaron believed was the point of them all. 

“My favorite is that you’re the devil and you’ve come out of hell to punish us all,” Aaron replied, going for a joke instead of a more serious story. The other man laughed, shaking his head at the words. 

“As fun as that one is, it couldn’t be farther from the truth. My father ran part of this city well before I was even born,” King explained, his voice softer than before. “Granted, he only owned a small portion of it, but he still taught me the business and showed me the ropes. He was a simple man. Didn’t want to expand. Didn’t ever dream about taking the whole city. When he retired, I took his place and the first thing I did was change my name. Then expand my territory until I had the whole city in the palm of my hand. Now, my father is living an easy life in the Bahamas while I sit on top of the world.” 

That was the last thing Aaron had been expecting. The idea that King had a family, a childhood, was a foreign concept to him. It was easy for him to forget that King was just like everyone else. Human. Unlike Aaron, he had endless power; however, he still had a past. Aaron believed that he was telling the truth based on the way the man spoke about his father and because the details of the story were average. All the other stories Aaron had heard were showing and over the top. They created a myth, but King was telling him the true history. 

“So it’s a family business?” Aaron asked.

“In a way yes.” 

“I would never have guessed.” 

“I’m sure you wouldn’t have,” King agreed. He cut another piece of steak then offered his fork to Aaron. Without much hesitation, Aaron leaned over and slowly, very slowly, took the steak off the fork. King’s eyes were glued to his lips the whole time. 

“You’re something else, Aaron,” he praised. 

“Bet you say that to all the pretty boys,” Aaron cooed. King only smiled and offered him another bite. They continued the same actions a few more times before King grabbed his wine glass and drained it. Aaron hadn’t touched his the whole time. He wanted to keep a clear head. Same reason why he never drank at work either. King stood from his seat, offering Aaron his hand like a true gentleman. Aaron took it and rose from his chair. He stepped forward just enough to press himself against King, looking up at him innocently. 

“Thank you for the food. It was really good.” 

“You’re welcome, angel” King replied, guiding him back into the living room and taking his place back on the couch. He pulled Aaron down into his lap. “It’s a fitting stage name for someone like you.” 

“Really? You don’t think it’s overdone?” 

“For you, no.” 

“Thank you,” Aaron muttered as he lazily looped his arms around King’s neck, staring into the man’s eyes. If it was anyone else, this moment would be sweet and cute, but Aaron could feel his heartbeat racing from fear and nerves rather than love. He begged his hands to be steady. Prayed for his body to obey him. He couldn’t fuck this up. 

“Alexa, play dance playlist,” King ordered. Music filled the room. Aaron shut his eyes as he listened to the beat. He felt gentle hands run up his back and allowed it for now. When he opened his eyes he licked his lips slowly to bring King’s attention back to his lips and let his body get to work. He pushed his chest against King’s as he rolled his hips. He waited until the first chorus of the song to start pulling his jacket off. He threw it onto the couch, his body never missing the beat. He kept his mouth slightly opened to create a promiscuous look. 

Aaron ran his fingers over King’s chest, then up his own before grabbing the top buttons and quickly working his way down his shirt. King reached up to set his hand against Aaron’s skin right over his heart. Aaron left it there at first, but as soon as he was done with the buttons he grabbed the hand. He sweetly kissed King’s palm, then pressed the hand against the couch with a warning look. He worried for a moment about the man’s reaction. Thankfully, King only smiled at his actions and let him keep working. He slide out of King’s lap onto his feet, turning around in an easy spin as he removed his shirt. He tossed it towards his jacket then ran his hands over his bare skin. When Aaron first learned to dance, he used to think he looked stupid doing all this, but as he watched King’s eyes followed his hands he knew it was working. Dancing was about keeping his client’s eyes on him, making them want him even though they couldn’t have him. 

The song faded into another, but Aaron didn’t stop. He turned his back on King again, this time sinking back down into his lap and leaning back against him. He tilted his head onto King’s shoulder, arching his back as his hips pressed down. King let out a tiny gasped, which made Aaron smirk. He could feel something hard pushing against his ass. Wouldn’t be the first hardon he had to deal with. Doubt it would be the last. It was a natural reaction, but Aaron still couldn’t wait to tell Maria about it. 

“Stay the night,” King whispered in his ear, wrapping his arms around Aaron’s chest and holding on. Panic wrapped around Aaron’s heart. His stomach dropped. What should he say? He didn’t want to stay, didn’t want to do that, but this wasn’t just a normal client. King was the most powerful man in the city. No one said no to him. No one. Aaron continued with his dance, grabbing King’s hands and moving them away so he could get up and turn around. He placed a hand on the man’s shoulder, leaning over so their eyes were level. 

“I’m not the type of boy that sleeps with people on the first date,” he teased, hoping that King took the hint. 

“Awww, come on,” King whined, starting to pout. “Make an exception for me.” 

“I can’t,” Aaron argued, “I’m a good boy.” 

“Alexa, turn off the music.” 

The room went silent. King’s pout turned into a scowl. Aaron pulled his hand off King’s shoulder as if it burned his skin. His fears rose to new heights. He didn’t have a plan. Didn’t know what to do to get out of this mess. He stared at King, waiting for the man to lash out. Instead, a soft smile appeared on the man’s face. 

“I respect your answer,” he stated. Aaron’s shoulders lowered in relief. “I do hope you’d reconsider, but if not then my driver will take you back to the club.” 

“That’s it?” Aaron wondered in confusion. He only danced to two and a half songs. That was nothing. Certainly not worth dinner. King rose from the couch, moving gracefully despite his obvious arousal. He placed one gentle hand on Aaron's hip and the other on his cheek. 

“Wilkinson was right, you’re an amazing dancer, and I’ll probably bring you around again, but I won’t force you to do something you don’t want to do,” King said softly. “I never will. If it takes three or seven dates then I can be patient.” 

“A gentleman,” Aaron commented, letting his mouth turn up slightly. So the mass murder wouldn’t force him into bed, but he had no issue with sawing a man in half. Quite an odd moral compass. 

“I try.” 

“Thank you.” 

“Is asking for a kiss too much?” 

Aaron wanted to say yes. It was too much to ask. God, he wanted to say yes and run, but he knew that he’d already crossed the line enough times tonight. If he didn’t want to end up like Victor or his friend, he needed to give King something. A kiss was a small price to pay for his life, and at least it wasn’t the rest his body. 

“A kiss is okay as long as you make it good,” Aaron replied. That was the only permission King needed. He pulled Aaron in for a soft kiss, pressing their lips together as he squeezed Aaron’s hip. Thankfully, this wasn’t Aaron’s first kiss. That had been with a boy in his high school and he shared a few kisses with John and Lafayette for fun. King wasn’t a bad kisser, but Aaron couldn't melt into it like he would with someone else. The kiss went on longer than Aaron would like. He didn’t want to pull away first out of fear of offending King. Plus the man’s hand on his cheek kept him firmly in place. Finally, King pulled away with a grin. 

“Very sweet,” he announced. 

“Thank you,” Aaron said, ducking his head as if he was embarrassed by the words. He looked back up to find King staring at him with a far off look on his face. His fingers on his hips rubbed against Aaron’s skin. For a moment, Aaron feared that King had changed his mind and was going to force Aaron into bed with him, but finally the man snapped out of it and stepped back. 

“I’ll call the guys to take you back downstairs. Go ahead and get dressed.” 

King suddenly walked away, leaving Aaron half naked in the living room. He rushed to grab his shirt, not even bothering to button it as he slide his jacket over top. King came back through the front door a few minutes later followed by one of the men from before. 

“Clinton is busy right now, but Cornwallis will be happy to take you home,” King explained, nodding to the large man. 

“Great. Thank you, Cornwallis,” Aaron said politely. King smiled at his words. Cornwallis just nodded and turned back to walk out the front door again. Aaron went to follow, but King suddenly grabbed his hand and at the last second pulled him in for a second kiss. Aaron didn’t fight it, though he wanted to shove King away. He kissed back, shutting his eyes and silently begging it to end quickly. Thankfully, it did and King released him. 

“Until next time.” 

“Until then,” Aaron agreed. He turned back towards the door, being sure to look over his shoulder one last time to give King a false longing look to seal his escape. King sent him a wink, which turned Aaron’s stomach, and offered the tiniest wave. Aaron blew him a kiss and walked into the hallway. Once he was out of King’s sight, he started walking faster. Cornwallis was already waiting for him at the elevator. They stood there in silence until the elevator arrived. Just like during their trip up, Cornwallis didn’t pay any attention to Aaron. He didn’t even look over his shoulder when they arrived at the lobby. Aaron quickly followed after the larger man to ensure he didn’t get lost. 

The same fancy black SUV that brought Aaron to the skyscraper was already waiting. Cornwallis opened the door for him, let him climb in, then slide next to him on the seat. The driver hit the gas as soon as the door closed, sending Aaron forward. The radio played softly in the background. Aaron looked out the window, watching the city go by as he tried to calm his speeding heart. He made it. He was okay. He pulled out his cellphone and sent Maria a quick text to assure her that he was alive and safe. She was working the bar tonight, so he wasn’t surprised when he got a reply a few minutes later. The night was still young and Aaron had time to make some more cash. The $12 grand King had given him put them ahead, but they were saving most of that for a later date. The SUV pulled up in front of the club in record time. Aaron was sure that the driver ran at least three red lights, but he didn’t say anything about it as he climbed out. 

“Wait,” Cornwallis called. Aaron paused and looked back towards him just in time to see an incoming object. He clumsily caught it, nearly dropping it three times before he got a better grip on the rolled up cash. 

“I thought–” Cornwallis slammed the car door in his face and the SUV drove away, leaving Aaron standing on the curb with a new pile of money. He thought dinner was his payment, but apparently, he was wrong. He didn’t count it yet. Instead, he shoved the roll into his jeans for safekeeping and headed into the club. He nodded at Ed as he passed by and made his way towards the bar where Maria was waiting. Her face lit up when she saw him. She finished pouring the drinks she was working on and slide them over to Lindsay, who gave Aaron a firm nod, before Maria reached over to take his hand. 

“You okay?” 

“I’m okay. We’ll talk later,” he promised. 

“Good. I’m glad. I was starting to worry.” 

“Sorry. I wasn’t sure about sending a text once I got there.” 

“That’s alright. I understand. Are you gonna get changed or?”

“I think I’ll just lose the jacket.” 

“Angel!” Patterson called from the side of the bar. Maria and Aaron looked over at him in confusion, but all he did was nod his head. Aaron reached into his pants and pulled out the wade of cash, sliding it to Maria and giving her a look. She gave him the tiny nod to show that she got it and would hide it for now. 

“Maybe Wilkinson wants to check in,” Aaron muttered, squeezing Maria’s other hand and giving her an easy smile. 

“Maybe,” she agreed. She finally let go and Aaron made his way over towards Patterson. The man turned and started down the hall, Aaron trailing behind him. They were only halfway to the office when Patterson turned suddenly, grabbed Aaron, and slammed him against the wall with his forearm over Aaron’s throat. 

“I’m sick of waiting,” Patterson growled, holding Aaron by his neck as his other hand pulled slide underneath Aaron’s jacket and shirt. “You spread your legs for everyone else but me. I’ve been looking out for you for too long to not get a reward for my hard work.” 

“You haven’t done shit for me,” Aaron hissed, wrapping his hands around Patterson’s arm and trying to pry it away. The man only pushed down harder, cutting off his air supply. 

“I’ve been nice. Treated you with respect, which is more than you can say for any of the other men you take into your bed. You owe me,” Patterson claimed. 

“Doing–ah–doing the bare minimum doesn’t–doesn’t mean you deserve sex,” Aaron choked, struggling to talk with the force against his throat.

“Fucking whore. We can do this the easy way, or the hard way.” 

“Fuc–fuck you.” Aaron dug his nails into Patterson’s arm in an attempt to weaken his hold, but the man held firm. 

“Hard way it is. I tried to be nice, tried to be patient, but clearly the only way to get your attention is to be an asshole” Patterson decided. Aaron felt a hand at the top of his jeans and panicked. He swung hard, aiming for Patterson’s face. His fist hit its target and sent Patterson staggering backwards. Pain traveled up Aaron’s arm, but it was worth it for the look on Patterson’s face and the air that filled his lungs. 

“Leave me alone,” Aaron demanded, standing tall as the adrenaline coursed through his body. 

“You’ll regret this,” Patterson warned. 

“You think I’m scared of you? I just came back from a private show with King. We made plans for me to go back. What am I supposed to tell him when I show up with bruises on my neck!?” 

Patterson’s eyes went wide at the words, the realization sinking in. Aaron’s words were somewhat of a bluff. He didn’t know if King would give a damn about any bruises, but it was enough to strike some fear into Patterson’s soul. 

“Fuck off,” Aaron snapped. Patterson glared at him for a little longer before he turned tail and walked quickly towards Wilkinson’s office. Aaron knew he was going to tell Wilkinson about the punch, probably spin some lie about how Aaron attacked him unprovoked, but Aaron didn’t care. It felt good to stand up to Patterson, to put him in his place. Maybe he could use King to protect himself if he needed to. The man seemed to like him and if Aaron agreed to sleep with him maybe he could earn himself some privileges. He might be able to protect Maria and Susan as well. Maria would never agree to it, but maybe he didn’t need to tell her. The adrenaline started to wear off, leaving Aaron feeling numb and exhausted. It’d been a long day and there was still a longer night ahead of him. He forced himself to put one foot in front of the other, slowly making his way back to the floor. Back to work. Back to his routine. He pushed thoughts of King and Patterson out of his mind and focused at the task at hand. He’ll deal with everything later. That’s the best he could do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again everyone! Glad to see that you came back for another chapter! I hope you liked it. Please let me know if I missed tagging anything. I've been trying to make sure that I tag all the bad stuff. 
> 
> Just a reminder that there is currently a [poll](https://goo.gl/forms/0Zzi4pz42DsjgHd92) where readers can vote to decide relationship they want to see happen. 
> 
> The poll will stay open another week or so, and after that the tags will change to reflect the new choice.


	4. Chapter 4

"Frozen." 

"Moana." 

"Frozen!" 

"Moana!" 

"FROZEN!" 

"We're watching Moana and that's final!" Aaron declared, running around the couch to avoid Susan as he clicked the buttons on the remote. 

"But we watched it last time!" Susan whined. 

She chased after him, trying again and again to steal the remote from him. Aaron stayed slightly ahead of her, though there were quite a few close calls where she almost tripped him up by changing direction suddenly. Susan was the spitting image of her mother. Beautiful, big brown eyes and the wildest curly brown hair, even wilder than her mother’s despite their attempts to try and tame it back with ponytails and braids. 

"Nuh uh. We watched Frozen the last two times. I remember." 

"No, you don't." 

"Yes, I do." 

"Nuh uh." 

"Uh hu." 

"I'm telling Mom you're being mean to me," Susan warned. She climbed over the couch and threw herself at Aaron. He caught her, making sure she didn't get hurt as he fell to the ground. He still held the remote out of her reach. 

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Aaron teased, changing the movie over to Frozen without Susan noticing. Susan suddenly stopped reaching for the remote and sat back on Aaron's legs. 

"I'll steal your makeup and flush it down the toilet," she threatened, her voice so serious that Aaron had a hard time not laughing at her. Instead, he gave Susan a fake scared face and quickly handed her the remove just after he pressed play. Susan turned to the TV, her face lighting up as the movie started. She liked all things Disney, but Frozen was by far her favorite. Moana was a close second, followed by Brave and Mulan. Aaron loved having movie nights with her whenever he had a day off. However, not working today hadn’t been his choice. This was his punishment for punching Patterson. Wilkinson hadn’t been happy about it, yet he also knew he couldn’t do too much to Aaron as long as he still had King’s attention, so instead he told Aaron to take Saturday, the busiest day of the week, off. If Aaron hadn’t already earned over $18,000 from King he’d be upset, but he already met his quota and they had enough to pay their rent for months. 

He got to spend the late morning with Maria and Susan. They made pancakes for breakfast, using chocolate chips to create faces on top. Then Maria and Susan went to the park while Aaron got some much-needed cleaning done. He also took some time to read, which was all part of their normal routine. When it came time for Maria to leave, Susan was thrilled that he got to stay home. She adored Yuma, but it was always a special occasion when one of them was able to spend more time with her instead of going off to work. They started their evening by baking some cookies. Susan demanded that they set some aside for Yuma, which Aaron easily agreed with. They were sure to also make enough for the other dancers at the club. Susan knew most of them, such a Lafayette, John, and Martha. She’d been backstage a few times when she was sick and Yuma wasn’t around to watch her. It wasn’t ideal, but they had to roll with the punches. 

Once the cookies were done, they left them to cool while Aaron ordered pizza and a surprise dessert. Now they were settling down for a movie along with their dinner. Susan sang along with the characters so much that Aaron had to remind her to eat more than once, but he was happy to see her having fun and enjoying herself. He wished Maria could be here with them. He wished for a lot of things. Some, he believed could happen if he worked hard enough, but others were just hopeless dreams that would never come true no matter how much work he put into them. The money from King put them ahead toward their goal of getting out of the city, yet there were still countless factors to take into consideration. Susan was one of them. They wanted to keep her safe, wanted to give her the life she deserved; and they didn’t- couldn’t have. She may not be Aaron's child, but he loved her all the same and he was going to do whatever it took to give her a better chance than he ever got.

"Aaron," Susan piped up as Olaf sang his big number, "can I ask you something?" 

"Of course," he replied, setting down his empty place and giving her his full attention. Susan kept her eyes on the TV as she bit her bottom lip. She looked nervous. Aaron gave her all the time she needed. 

"When did you know that you liked boys?" 

That was not a question that Aaron had been expecting, nor one that he really knew how to answer, but judging by the wide-eyed look on Susan's face, she needed someone to talk to. Aaron wasn't going to stop her from expressing her feelings. He never wanted her to feel like she couldn’t say what she was thinking. Asking questions, talking about what was going on in her life was important. Fostering that was one of his biggest goals. 

"I honestly don't really know. I'm sorry, honey. I wish I had a better answer, but I just started looking around one day and it hit me. I was in middle school at the time, but I don't have an exact age or date." 

"Do you think I'm too young to like boys?" 

"Define what you mean by like?" 

"I don't know." 

"Did something happen at school?" he asked, keeping his voice light to avoid accusing her of anything. If she wanted to tell him, great. If she didn't, then he would respect her boundaries. And if it was something major or about being a woman, he would save it for Maria instead. 

"Bethany has a boyfriend. She kept talking about him and then all the other girls were talking about the boys they like and why, but I didn't know what to say. The boys at my school are nice. I like being friends with them, but I don't think I want to kiss them and stuff like that," Susan explained. She was only nine. She shouldn't be dealing with this stuff, but Aaron knew it happened. And he knew that children could be cruel. 

"If you like boys right now, then that's okay. And if you don't like boys at all right now, that's okay too. You have to go at your own pace. It's not a race or a competition. Some people don't start liking people until they're in their 30s or 40s. Some people start when they're thirteen. You do what makes you feel comfortable and happy. And don't let anyone tell you that you're strange or odd for not liking boys right now," Aaron advised, hoping that he was giving her the right answer. He wished someone had told him this as a child. All his classmates had crushes on girls and boys, yet Aaron didn't really care all that much. Even when he found out he was attracted to men he didn't feel the need to date. Part of the problem was his uncle. Aaron was too focused on living up to his expectations to even think about anything else. But when his classmates pushed and pushed for an answer he couldn't give them, he'd been labeled a nerd. Which was the kindest thing he'd been called. He didn't want Susan to suffer the same fate as him. 

"I'm gonna do my thing," Susan promised, parroting words the motto Maria had taught her. Do your own thing and live your own life. It was a good philosophy. "But I have another question." 

"Sure." 

"What's sex?" 

"Fuck," Aaron muttered without meaning to. This was one of the conversations he did not want to have with her! Susan didn't even react to his swearing. She was used to it. She knew the words were inappropriate to say at school or to strangers, but in the apartment she could get away with saying some of them as long as it wasn't directed at anyone. Shit was her favorite. Normally used when she messed up or dropped something. 

"I think that's a conservation you need to have with your mother," Aaron suggested. "I'm not really...I don't...Yeah, I can't have that conservation with you." 

"Why not?" 

"Well, I'm a guy. So we're biologically different, and because I've never had sex either so your mom is more of the expert on this." Susan looked disappointed at his refusal, but he knew he had to stand firm. This was something Maria needed to talk to her about as soon as possible. 

"How old do you need to be to have sex?" she suddenly asked. 

"50," Aaron replied right away. He was only _half_ joking. 

"50!" 

"For you, at least 52." 

"That's not fair!" 

"Ask your mom that too. I bet she'll tell you 60 or something." 

"But that's so old!" 

"Exactly!" 

Susan went quiet for a moment, looking back at the TV then at Aaron a few times before making a face. 

"Will you tell Mom that I wanna talk about it?" she asked. 

"I can text her right now and give her a heads up about it," he offered. 

"I would like that. I wanna talk about it, but I don't know if she'll wanna talk to me about it."

"She'll want to talk to you. I know she will. There's just a time and a place for that type of serious talk. I'll give her a warning and tell her it's a serious matter for you." 

"Thank you, Aaron."

"Of course, honey. Do you want more pizza or some dessert?" 

“Dessert!” Susan demanded with a smile. Aaron got up and headed for the kitchen, returning with a small white box. He opened it up, showing Susan the large pieces of cake inside. The way her eyes widened in awe and excitement made Aaron’s heart melt. He lived for moments like this and he would do everything in his power to protect them.

* * *

Aaron made his way back onto the club floor in a new outfit. He went with one of his old favorites. Rainbow striped shorts with a matching crop top and a pair of white high heels. In his hand, he carried a long rainbow lollipop to complete the look. He looked good enough to eat; which was the whole idea. In his head, he was going over his performance. Their partner dance had been a hit, but Aaron kept thinking about ways to improve it. Lafayette and him loved to see how far they could push themselves, especially when they were together. They enjoyed coming up with new move and routines, which helped make dancing more fun. They weren’t stuck doing the same thing night after night after night. 

“Angel,” John came over wearing his old fashion fireman’s outfit. He was matching James, who was a policeman while Lafayette was going to come out as a prisoner. The whole idea was kinda dumb, but it was a classic. “Someone’s in room one waiting for you.” 

“Waiting for me?” Aaron asked in confusion. John only shrugged. 

“That’s what Wilkinson told me.” 

“Thanks, Jewel.” 

“Be safe,” John warned. Aaron nodded and headed towards the private rooms. 

It was highly unusual for a customer to go into a room without talking to him first, though it had happened once or twice when friends wanted to surprise each other with private lap dances. Still, Aaron kept his guard up as he nodded to Ed before opening the door to the first room. He felt as if he’d been splashed with cold water when he saw King sitting on the couch inside. Every private room was decorated the same way. Two couches on either side of the wall with a pole in the center above a thick, strong table. King looked comfortable, wearing only a white button-down shirt and black pants with his feet resting on the table top. He gave Aaron a bright, welcoming smile. Now it made sense why John didn’t know who was waiting for him. 

“I was starting to think you forgot about me,” Aaron cooed, automatically getting into character, as he stepped further into the room and shut the door behind him. 

“Did you miss me?” King wondered. It had been almost two weeks since their private meeting. Aaron shrugged his shoulder, turning his head to the side and giving the man a longing look. Mentally, he was rolling his eyes, but his act appeared to work as King lowered his feet and spread his knees to create the perfect seat for Aaron. He quickly walked over and took his place, letting the man’s arms wrapped around him. 

“I think the more important question is, did you miss me?” Aaron teased, watching as King’s eyes roam over his body. The man smiled at his words as he trailed one hand up and down Aaron’s back. Aaron did his best not to shiver at the contact. 

“I did miss you,” King replied. The words sounded too real, too honest and it made Aaron uncomfortable, though he didn’t let that show on his face. “I wished you had stayed, but at least I get to see you today in this outfit. I quite like it.” 

“Good,” Aaron agreed, popping the lollipop in his mouth and adding a wink for good measure. King’s attention stayed trained on his lips for far too long. When Aaron pulled the candy out, he offered it towards King with a grin. 

“Wanna taste?” 

A new fire appeared in King’s eyes at the words, which sounded just suggestive enough to give the man ideas of what else Aaron could offer him. He gave the lollipop a single lick, then leaned back on the couch as if contemplating something meaningful. Aaron watched him silently, returning to the candy to his mouth and lightly sucking on it as he waited. 

“Perfectly sweet with all the right flavors,” King declared, giving Aaron a look that said he wasn’t talking about the candy at all. Aaron ducked his head to keep up his shy act. 

“It’s just sugar,” he muttered. King reached out and lifted his head up. 

“You’re more than just plain sugar,” he said.

Aaron was at a loss for words. He didn’t understand why King wanted him so badly. He was just an average man working as a dancer. He wasn’t special or unique or different. What could he offer a man like King? Maybe it was the thrill of the chase. Maybe Aaron made it all worse by saying no the first time. Perhaps all King wanted was to get him in bed, then he’d leave for his next challenge. Even if that was the case, Aaron wasn’t going to just give it up in order to get the man to leave him alone. 

“Thank you,” he replied, taking the complement and giving the man a small grin to show his gratitude. King returned it with his own smile before his face turned much more serious. Aaron’s nerves rose in his chest. 

“I heard some nasty rumors though,” King commented, a darker look in his head. 

“Rumors?” 

“About you and a man who’s been giving you trouble.” 

“Oh. Patterson,” Aaron confirmed. King scowled at the name. 

“Yeah. _Him._ Is he giving you trouble?”

“No more than usual,” Aaron answered. King didn’t appear happy about that answer. “Don’t do anything.” 

“I didn’t say I was going to,” King argued. 

“It’s written all over your face. Leave it alone.” 

“But-” 

“You’re not my boyfriend, nor my boss. You don’t get to control my life or interfere in my business,” Aaron growled. King’s eyes widened at his sharp tone before the smile returned to his face.

“So the innocent angel has teeth,” he stated in glee. 

“You have bigger things to worry about than me. Besides, why do you even care?” Aaron quickly changed his tone and turned the topic back towards King. 

“Because you’re so sweet and innocent.” 

“Ha! I’m not that innocent,” Aaron assured him. 

“Maybe not,” King agreed, reaching up to cup Aaron’s cheek. “But there’s something about you that I like. Something I want to keep safe. If he bothers you again, or you change your mind, just say the word and I’ll take care of him.” 

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a red card, handing it over to Aaron. His name was written across the front in golden letters underneath a matching golden crown. Aaron raised an eyebrow at his title. ‘Business Manager and Real Estate Developer’ was an odd way to spell ‘Mob Boss,’ but he was sure the most important part of the card was supposed to be the phone number at the bottom. King was giving him a direct line to the top. 

“What do you mean you’ll take care of him?” Aaron wondered. 

“Whatever you want it to mean,” King replied. 

“I’m guessing this comes with a condition,” he said. 

Aaron turned the card between his fingers a few times before slipping it into his crop top for safe keeping. Nothing was ever free. And if a deal looked too good to be true, then it was. King had to want something in return. Probably something in the form of Aaron’s body. Protection like this didn’t come without a high price. Was Aaron willing to pay? Could he use this to protect Maria and Susan too? Have someone like King in his court would be helpful, but how far would he have to go to maintain such benefits? 

“How about another kiss? That seems like a fair price,” King suggested. 

“I don’t understand you,” Aaron confessed, but he still leaned forward and pressed his lips against the other man’s. The kiss was soft and slow. It left Aaron feeling raw. Part of him hated that he was sharing such tender moments with a dangerous man instead of a close lover, but it was a price worth paying for safety. 

“You will one day,” the man assured him as they broke the kiss. “Sooner than you think. Now, why don’t you dance for me? I saw you on stage and I was quite impressed, but I much rather have you all to myself.” 

“Just dancing?” Aaron wondered as he climbed out of King’s lap and stepped up onto the table. He abandoned his lollipop, leaving it with King, for now, to keep his hands free. 

“Just dancing,” King confirmed, relaxing back against the couch to watch as Aaron got himself into position. 

Aaron nodded his head, prompting King to press a button on the wall behind the couch to start some music. Aaron closed his eyes and listened to the beat. He decided to start with a stretch. He grabbed the pole with both hands, leaned to the side and stretched one leg into the air to create a perfect sideways split. He even went so far as to overextend the pose. King’s eyebrows rose, clearly impressed by his flexibility. The whole point was to give customers sexual ideas, but they never knew the strength and agility that went into his dancing. 

After bringing his leg back down to the ground, he circled the pole just fast enough to create a bit of momentum. With the tiniest leap, his feet left the ground and he wrapped one leg around the pole, the force of his momentum spinning him in a circle as he struck another pose. He kept one arm firmly on the pole to keep his balance as he extended his free leg out. He tilted his head back, bringing attention to the length of his body from his chest to between his legs. Once the momentum started to fade, he wrapped his free leg around the pole and climbed a bit higher. The music swelled in perfect timing for his next pose, holding onto the pole with one hand while twisting his body to maintain his position as he removed his legs to unfold them into an ariel split. He could only hold it for so long, but King’s attention had grown thanks to such a pose. He kept up with the music until the song ended, finishing his first dance on his knees with his body leaning towards King just enough to make it look like he was reaching for him. As soon as the next song started he was back on his feet. It was so quick that King didn’t have time to touch him. 

He went through four songs before King pressed the button again, cutting the music off before a fifth song could begin. Aaron could feel his heart hammering against his chest from the workout, and his body was covered with a layer of sweat, but he felt alive and powerful. King’s eyes had never strayed from him the whole time. Not even once. Not to check his phone. Not to pour himself another drink. Never. Aaron jumped off the table and took a seat next to the man, pressing up against him with a softer smile. 

“How was I?” he asked. 

“Perfection,” King announced. “Pure perfect. The best I’ve ever seen.”

“I know you’re lying, but keep going.” 

King laughed, leaning over to press his lips against Aaron’s without any warning. Aaron almost pulled away, but instead, he told himself to relax and shut his eyes to enjoy the kiss. God, King was a good kisser. It wasn’t fair. A man like this shouldn’t be able to kiss like this. Shouldn’t be able to make Aaron’s stomach drop then soar. King pulled away first, an amazing smile on his face as he stared into Aaron’s eyes. Aaron couldn’t take it, couldn’t stand to be looked at in such a way, so he started another kiss to distract the man from looking at him. 

_Knock. Knock._

Aaron pulled away at the sound, glancing at the door for a moment then looking back at King. Honestly, he was surprised that they were even making King obey the time limit, but he was also thankful for the opportunity to leave without having to make up a clever excuse. 

“Time’s up,” he explained, though he didn’t make any attempt to move away. At least not yet. He didn’t want King to think he was excited about their session being up. Didn’t want to accidentally offend the man. King pouted, his bottom lip sticking out comically as he reached into his pocket and pulled out another wad of cash. Aaron almost said no, almost pushed it away. He always gave too much and Aaron was already in his debt. Eventually, he’ll have to pay it back one way or another. But all he could think about was how the money put Maria and him so far ahead in their plans. They were so close. As soon as King passed it over, Aaron leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek. 

“I did miss you,” he whispered before quickly standing up and heading for the door. The lie slipped out his tongue like sweet caramel. The best way to keep King interested, to keep playing this game, was to leave a little trail of candy behind. Just enough to lead the man back to him over and over again as long as possible. Aaron needed to come up with a plan for the future, but for now, he wanted to lay enough candy to ensure his safety. “My adoring fans are waiting.” 

“Aaron,” King said, his tone forcing Aaron to stop after only a few steps, “remember what I said. If he bothers you, if anyone bothers you, just let me know and I’ll handle it for you.” 

“I’ll remember,” Aaron promised, glancing over his shoulder at King as he placed a hand over his chest where the card sat. “You’ll be my first call.” 

King’s face softened at his answer. He kissed his hand and blew the kiss towards Aaron. He pretended to catch it, pressing his closed fist against his mouth before giving King one last smile. Then he finally walked out the door and escaped back onto the club floor. Within seconds, John was at his side with a look of concern on his face. Aaron gave him a reassuring grin, watching as the tension slowly left the other dancer’s shoulders. 

“Good client then?” 

“Good client,” Aaron replied, leaving it at that. The less anyone else knew, the better. He’d already told Maria, and he wasn’t sure if that was even safe. He glanced back towards the door, waiting to see if King would appear and cause a scene or anything, but it remained shut. He slide King’s money into his top alongside the business card and got back to work. Focus on one task at a time.

* * *

“Mommy?” a small voice whispered. 

Aaron jumped, his eyes snapping open as he quickly sat up and looked around the room in confusion. His attention finally settled on Susan, who was standing at the foot of their bed with her hand on Maria’s ankle. Without thinking, Aaron slapped Maria’s back to try and wake her up. 

“Ow!” Maria complained. Aaron hit her again for good measure. “What the fuck, Aaron?”

“Susan’s here,” he explained. 

“What?” 

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Aaron asked, ignoring Maria’s whining as she stretched. 

“I don’t know,” the young girl confessed. “I heard sirens and now I can’t go back to sleep. Can I sleep with you guys?” 

“Of course you can,” Maria answered, finally sitting up and offering her daughter a bright smile. She opened her arms. “Get up here.” 

Susan didn’t need to be told twice. She climbed in between the two of them and wiggled underneath the blanket before cuddling close to Maria’s chest. Aaron reached over to check the time on his phone. 4:12 a.m. They hadn’t even been home for two hours yet. He yawned, shaking his head as he settled back down. He turned on his side and threw an arm over Susan to keep her safe. He stared at her for a while, wondering if it was really only the sirens that woke her up or something else. Sirens at night were normal. They didn’t even bother Aaron anymore, nor Maria, and he didn’t think they had the power to wake Susan anymore, but maybe he was wrong. Maybe they were still too loud. Or perhaps they’d been closer than usual. Either way, he didn’t mind Susan joining them in bed. He liked the cuddle pile the three of them created. He shifted closer to the girl and shut his eyes. Sleep found him soon enough. 

Two hours later, Aaron’s phone went off. It blasted his ringtone through the room, waking all three of them up. Susan whimpered and pulled the blanket over her head as she tried to ignore the ringing.

“Answer your damn fucking phone,” Maria snapped. 

“I’m going, I’m going,” he quickly replied, letting out a groan as he scrambled to grab it. At first, he thought it was his alarm going off, but then he saw the name on the screen. Lafayette? What did he want this early in the morning? Something had to have happened. Aaron sat up a little more in bed as he answered the call and placed the phone by his ear. 

“Laf? What do you need?” 

“Aaron....I...I wanted to be the first to tell you,” Lafayette explained. Aaron could hear voices in the background by he couldn’t make out what they were saying. “I just saw the news.” 

“What are you talking about?” 

“Aaron....Wilkinson’s dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun. Dun. Dunnnnnn. Cliff hanger. Can't wait for next week's chapter! No one will be ready for it!
> 
> And thank you to everyone who voted in the poll! I can't tell you how helpful that was to me! I'm a little shocked to see that it wasn't as close as I thought it would end up being, but I'm still happy with the results. I'd be happy either way honestly, but it's nice to finally know which relationship I'm gonna focus on more. I'll reveal the results next week with the new chapter so stay tuned!


	5. Chapter 5

Over the course of only a few hours, the world around them had drastically changed. It happened without any warning. There’d been no signs. No rumors or whispers. Nothing. They hadn’t had time to prepare, and now they were stuck trying to put the pieces together through news broadcasts and rumors coming from witnesses. Aaron couldn’t stop himself from trying to find out as much information as possible. He needed to know what happened, needed to know if they were safe or if they were in danger. They didn’t have a plan for something like this, but they needed to come up with something quickly. Being adaptable was the only way to survive this kind of life. 

The morning news played the same videos of the scenes over and over again. The docks, the epicenter for of King’s drug running business, had been blown to pieces along with Wilkinson and countless others. Fiery boats still burned in the harbor. Charred pieces of wood were all that remained of the beautiful docks that housed countless ships and boats. A few blocks away from the warehouse district, home to normal storage units and a large black market full of illegal goods, had been carved up with hundreds of bullets. The new clips showed the area littered with bodies covered in white sheets alongside torn paintings, broken chests full of who knows what, and ivory tusks. It felt like scenes from a movie. It was unbelievable to see the remains of the attacks. It became even more unbelievable when Laf brought them rumors about who was responsible. 

Laf, John, and quite a few others from the club had gathered at their apartment. Maria kept Susan home from school just in case but had sent her off with Yuma for a few hours while they talked about what happened. According to Lafayette’s sources, three new gangs had appeared overnight with enough manpower to rival an army. Witnesses claimed that they popped out the shadows, which was clearly just a dramatic storytelling detail, but nevertheless, the gangs had attacked the docks and warehouse district at the same time, sending King’s men scrambling to defend their territory. They’d almost won, at least that’s what the witnesses claimed, but then half of King’s men turned against him. Turncoats. Traitors. Spies that had been waiting for the right moment to stab the Royals in the back. Those still loyal to King were chased to a different part of the city. In one night, King lost a third of his territory to the new gangs in one of the most organized attacks the city had ever seen. 

Unfortunately, the club fell within the new gangs’ territory, which left them all unsure about what would happen to them. Some, like Lindsay, suggested that they quickly move over to King’s side; however, Maria and Aaron couldn’t simply pack up and leave. Most of them couldn’t. And if the new gang members caught them, it could spell trouble. Travis asked about going to work at another club, but John warned him that crossing between both territories will bring up questions. It’d be different if Travis had money. If all of them had money. Money helped make you invisible. Middle-class families only had to worry about keeping their kids away from the gangs and paying their dues here and there to ensure their property was kept safe. Rich people didn’t even care about the gangs. They had the cash to burn on security, but people like them didn’t have such luxuries. They couldn't pay off gang members. Couldn’t afford to get caught working both sides. 

There wasn’t much they could do. Benjamin thought out loud about getting another job. He wouldn’t be able to avoid the gang’s power altogether, but it might put him out of the limelight until things calmed down. The only problem is, Benjamin had no idea if anyone would hire him or how the new owners of the club would react to him leaving. Every suggestion faced countless questions. There was a never ending list of ‘what ifs’ and none of them were in control. They were all just pawns in a larger game. Aaron’s phone buzzed in his back pocket for the third time. He didn’t even need to pull it out to know who it was. Unlike the others, Aaron had a direct line to one of the biggest players in this game, but no one else knew that. 

As much as he had wanted to tell Maria about King’s business card and their second meeting, he decided to keep the card a secret. He didn’t want to involve Maria when she already had so much to worry about with Susan and Reynolds. Instead, he lied about the club meeting, claiming that it went the same way as the first time at the penthouse. Aaron danced. King paid him. Aaron left. He didn’t mention that they’d kissed, nor that King had asked for more. He saved the man’s number under an alias in his phone for safekeeping and swore that he’d tell Maria if anything changed. He knew he would never contact King for help, yet that didn’t stop the gang leader from texting Aaron a day later. How he’d gotten Aaron’s number was unknown, but the text had been almost innocent in nature. King asked if Aaron had any more trouble, and when Aaron said no, he wished him a good day and left him alone. It was such a strange experience that Aaron would deny it happened if it wasn’t for the messages still on his phone. 

They weren’t the only messages. King texted him again to give him a warning that he was coming to the club. He requested a private dance, including a winky face in the message before sending Aaron a series of emojis when Aaron promised to save him a dance. After that, King took full advantage of their new form of communication. He’d met with King three more times since then, twice at the club and once more at his penthouse. Each time the request had come through by text, including King telling Aaron when his car was arriving in front of the club to bring him over. The times at the club were all the same and uneventful. King checked in to see if anyone was giving Aaron trouble, asked for a kiss or two, then watched Aaron dance to four or five songs before paying him more than what Aaron made in a month. 

The meeting at the penthouse had been similar to the first time. Aaron arrived in time for dinner and King asked him a few questions while they ate before they moved back into the living room. But instead of Aaron getting up to dance or giving King a show, King had turned on the TV, passed the remove to Aaron and asked him to pick out a movie. Aaron had been fearful that King would try to make a move that’d lead to sex, but even after he picked a short rom-com, King had only pulled Aaron close and kept his attention on the TV. He kissed Aaron’s cheek here and there, even quoted some of the lines suddenly, yet he made no move to get Aaron into bed. It was what Aaron had expected and it left him feeling weird. It felt like a date except King gave him money before he left. Aaron tried to refuse. He hadn’t danced. Hadn’t done anything to warrant getting paid, but King only kissed his forehead and said he could dance twice as long next time. No hint that he should sleep with King or anything like that. Aaron left in confusion, trying to figure out what King’s strategery was. 

When he returned to the club and Maria asked how it went, he lied again. Told Maria that he’d only eaten dinner and danced. He didn’t know what she would think if she knew the truth. Part of him felt more like an escort rather than a dancer, which was a dangerous slope. They’d already fought about the first meeting, and Aaron didn’t want to fight about it again. There wasn’t much he could do still. Saying no to the meetings wasn’t an option, but maybe that would change now with the new gang taking over. His phone buzzed again. Aaron checked to see if anyone was looking at him before pulling it out of his back pocket. He had a notification for four unread text messages. He typed in his passcode then tapped the notification to bring up the conversation. 

Jonathan: _I’m sure you’ve heard what happened. Where are you? How close do you live to the docks?_

Jonathan: _Are you safe?_

Jonathan: _Aaron?_

Jonathan: _Answer me damnit!_

Aaron almost smiled at the string of angry face emojis that followed, but he kept his reaction hidden and typed out a quick reply. He wasn’t surprised when King’s answer came a moment later. 

Aaron: _I’m safe. I don’t live close to the docks at all._

Jonathan: _Do you want me to send a car?_

Aaron: _No. I’m fine._

Jonathan: _I can send one._

_Just say the word._

Aaron: _Please don’t. I’m okay. Really._

Jonathan: _Okay....just let me know if you change your mind._

Aaron: _I will._

 

_Thank you._

He quickly added a moment later. 

 

“Chinese or pizza, Aaron?” Maria asked just as he closed out of his messages before anyone had the chance to see what was on the screen. They were sitting together on the couch along with Theo, who was on the other side of Maria. Laf and John were sharing the old rocking chair while Benjamin, Travis, James, and Peggy sat on the floor with pillows. Lindsay and Tina sadly left, though they promised they would try to come back after they were done with appointments and such. 

“Pizza.” 

“Can’t we just get both?” John whined. 

“Fine. We can get both,” Maria agreed, rolling her eyes as she got up and vanished into the kitchen. She came back a moment later with a couple of menus, passing them out to everyone. She sat back down next to Aaron, sitting closer than before. Aaron opened his blanket and Maria cuddled as close as possible. Theo gave him a soft smile that Aaron returned. 

“You okay?” she whispered to him as everyone else talked about the dishes they wanted or toppings they should get. “You’ve been pretty quiet.” 

“It’s just a lot to process,” Aaron confessed. Which was true. It was a lot of information to take in. A lot of different feelings to sort through. He was glad that their friends were here, glad that they offered him a distraction from all the chaos in his head. 

“We’ll be okay,” Maria promised. 

“I know. I know. Let’s just focus on right now.” 

He placed a light kiss on her forehead and held her close until the tension in her shoulders started to loosen. They didn’t know what was waiting for them at work tonight, but Aaron was already coming up with a plan. King had repeatedly said he’d take care of things for Aaron, and he offered him a car. The question was if King would let him bring Maria and Susan along. He loved all his friends, cared for their safety and wanted them to be okay; however, Maria and Susan were his top priority. It’d be a huge favor to ask for, one that Aaron would need to repay. They were worth it. They were worth all of it, but Aaron needed to prepare himself mentally for what he would need to do. It all depended on how the new gang acted, though Aaron wasn’t too hopeful about how things would go. At least right now he was surrounded by good friends. 

Maria turned on their TV and pulled up their Netflix account, triggering a debate over what they should watch. Aaron let the conversation muddle his thoughts until he was no longer thinking about what could happen. He didn't’ want to get too caught up in the future. Right now, he wanted to just enjoy this moment among friends and family while they still could. The future had to wait.

* * *

Aaron’s life had been surrounded by death since he was a young child. His parents died soon after he’d learn to walk, then his grandfather passed before he turned five. The ghosts of people Aaron couldn’t remember lingered around him for most of his childhood. People talked about his parents as if he was suddenly supposed to remember them. His mother’s legacy. His father’s career. They haunted Aaron. He was always trying to live up to people he’d never known. In the same way, the name of his grandfather was used against him. A respectable minister who put the fear of God into his congregation. Aaron didn’t put much faith in God, but his uncle didn’t waste any time using the Lord as a reason for why Aaron was a horrible child. A disgrace to his grandfather’s memory. Aaron had only known the man for a few years, and even then he could only recall a few details about him. 

He understood death before he was old enough to write his own name. He knew how it could follow people. How it could wrap itself around the living until all they thought about were the people they lost instead of the future they should be looking towards. It took Aaron years to learn how to shake off his parents and grandfather. And a few months after fighting off the guilt. He didn’t know them. They weren’t his family in name just by blood. There was no reason for him to carry the burden of their memory anymore. Yet, as he walked into the club with his friends, he could tell who had faced death before and who hadn’t. People had died before, and they’d seen people die, but this was different. This was a death that changed everything. Aaron had no love for Wilkinson, but at least he knew how to handle the man. His death would linger, and for some of the dancers, it would haunt them until they learned how to break loose from its darkness. 

The new owner of the club and his crew were already waiting for them by the bar. A man was behind the counter going through their liquor bottles without a care in the world. All the house lights in the club were on, showing off its depleted interior. It was easy to ignore it when the lights were low, but now they could see all the stains on the floor and the tables. The marks on the chairs. The lights that were still broken after months. The club had a completely different atmosphere compared to when customers were around. It wasn’t something they saw often. Everyone kept their distance from the gang, staying closer to the exit just in case things went south faster than expected. Maria pressed her shoulder against his, giving Aaron a worrisome look for only a split second before she smoothed her expression. 

Some of the others, like Benjamin and John, were unable to keep their faces as blank. John looked angry, ready to start throwing punches at a moment notice. Thankfully, Theo was already standing close. She’d be able to keep him from flying off the handle. They didn’t need any more problems or things to worry about. Poor Ben looked like he saw a ghost as he stared at one of the men. Aaron narrowed his eyes and took a closer look, but nothing about the man set off any alarms in his head. Aaron reached out and took Benjamin’s hand, pulling him close and squeezing his fingers until Ben squeezed back. 

“I know him,” Benjamin whispered, his voice already starting to crack. “The one behind the bar. I know him. He used to come to see me every week for a private dance. I didn’t.... I didn’t know he was in a gang.” 

“Shhhh,” Aaron rubbed his thumb on the back of Benjamin’s hand as he made a soft noise to try and ease Benjamin’s worries. “Of course you didn’t know. It’s not your job to know.” 

“I told him my name,” Benjamin confessed. Aaron’s heart ached for the man. Clearly, the customer had gotten to him at one point. Finding out now that he was actually a gang member for a rival gang had to hurt. It left a sour taste in Aaron’s mouth. Lafayette had said the new gang was full of turncoats and spies. He wondered if that’s what Benjamin’s customer was. 

“It’ll be okay,” Aaron promised, sending a look towards Lindsay and Peggy. He singled them to get closer until they formed a tight pack of people. James appeared on the other side of Benjamin and took his free hand. 

“I recognize one of them too,” James admitted. Benjamin’s eyes widened. “We can talk about it later if you want.” 

“That would be nice.” 

Finally, the gang members stepped away from the bar and walked towards them, cutting off any more conversation. There were only seven of them in total. Four appeared to be just as young as Aaron and John while the other three were much older. Their appearances were vastly different than what Aaron had been expecting, but then again he knew better than to judge someone on the way they look. These men might be wearing suits and look clean; however, Aaron would place a big bet that each one of them was dirty in some way. Either blood, drugs, or money. 

“Is this everyone?” one of the younger men with his hair pulled back into a slick ponytail wondered, his eyes scanning over them as if he couldn’t care less about the whole situation. 

“Yes,” Martha answered, stepping up and taking the led. They’d all agreed that they should have a foreman, someone to do all the talking and explaining to ensure that some of the younger ones, like Benjamin and James, didn’t get flustered under a barrage of questions. It would also hopefully prevent John or Peggy or Travis from causing any trouble for them all. 

“I expected...” the man trailed off and looked over to the taller, bald man standing beside him. They stared at each other for a moment before the bald man took one step forward. 

“I’m assuming you all have a lot of questions,” he said. 

“Just a few,” Martha replied. 

“Perfect, because I have some for all of you as well,” the man declared. “I’m George Washington, and as of last night, this club has come under my control. From what I’ve been told by some of my people, this is a strip club-” 

“Oh shit. What gave that away?” John muttered just loud enough for some of them to hear. Aaron had a hard time fighting back a smile. If Washington heard his comment, he didn’t show it on his face, though Aaron swore he saw the younger man’s eyes narrow. 

“-and I plan to continue to operate it as such; however there are going to be some changes.” 

“Changes?” Martha prompted. 

“First, there will be no activities in this club besides dancing,” Washington declared. Thank God for Maria, who quickly grabbed Travis wrist before he had a chance to cause a scene. Laf also wrapped an arm around John to keep him firmly in place. They all knew what Washington was hinting at, and even Aaron was pissed that he would assume to know what had been happening in this club. They were only dancers, not prostitutes, but even if they were, Washington had no right to be so disrespectful. “None of the previous staff will be returning, so new people will need to be hired.” 

“All we’re missing is two bouncers,” Martha informed him. “We all take turns running the bar.” 

“That’s another change,” Washington explained. “None of you will be allowed behind the bar. Most likely, Caleb or Monty will be taking over that part so you can focus more on your own tasks.” 

“Martha,” John grumbled. 

“Relax,” Laf begged. 

Washington might have been vague, but none of them were stupid. They knew why he didn’t want them behind the bar. Patterson had bitched about it too. There was a fear that dancers would sell the product or take it home. Wilkinson didn’t care as long as everyone paid their quota, but Patterson hated it. It gave him less control over how quickly dancers were able to get drinks for their customers. 

“I’ll warn you that if your bartenders can’t do their jobs quick enough, or good enough, this whole club will suffer,” Martha said, a new edge in her words. Washington raised an eyebrow but didn’t seem upset by her stance. 

“They’ll be better than good,” the younger man assured her, though he had a bored tone to his voice.

“This is Alexander,” Washington finally introduced him, “my right hand. He’ll be in charge of the operations of the club when I’m away.” He didn’t mention anyone else, though the others didn’t seem to care about that as they whispered to each other. 

“Don’t forget about the private rooms,” Alexander reminded him. 

“I was getting to that. All the doors on the private rooms will be removed and replaced with curtains.” Aaron couldn’t imagine anyone complaining about that change, but still, Washington paused as if he expected someone to protest. When no one opposed to it, he continued. “Any use of drugs or alcohol during your shift will not be tolerated.” 

Aaron heard John muttering under his breath. Lindsay joined him this time. Drugs were already out of the question. None of the dancers were users, but the idea of not drinking on the job was almost impossible. Customers bought them drinks all the time. Of course, they could decline the offer, but that led to less money and annoyed patrons. Washington would have trouble reinforcing that rule, but no one outright protested. Even Martha kept her mouth shut for now. They couldn’t be sure how Washington would react to them saying no. None of them wanted to be thrown out onto the curb. 

“Any customer complaints should be taken to the bouncers first. Is there a blacklist of people who aren’t allowed in?” Washington asked. 

“No. We haven’t had any real issues with customers,” Martha replied. Alexander made a face that said he didn’t believe her, but Washington didn’t protest. 

“Do you have any questions for me?” Washington offered them the floor. 

“What’s the quota?” 

“Excuse me?” 

“The quota. How much money do we owe you?” 

Washington turned to Alexander with a look of confusion on his face. Alexander only shrugged. He turned to the other men in the group, but none of them seemed to know what to do. Martha glanced over her shoulder Maria and Laf with a look of disbelief on her face. Aaron could only shake his head. Clearly, Washington and his gang had no idea how to run a strip club. They had ideas about what happened, many of them false or based on negative stories about strippers, but they didn’t understand how the business was supposed to work. There was no way this was going to lead to good things for them. Most likely Washington was going to be too controlling to counterbalance his lack of understanding. Judging by the rules he already laid out, and the attitude his right hand had, they didn’t care much about the dancers or their profession. 

“$50,” Washington throw out the number. Martha turned back towards him and raised an eyebrow. 

“$50,000?” she clarified. 

“No, no. Just $50.” 

“Per day?” 

“Per month,” Washington stated. “$50 per month.” 

“This guy’s an idiot,” John told Travis. Thankfully his voice was so low that Aaron doubted Washington was able to hear; however, he did find himself agreeing with the statement. $50 a month was nothing to them. What type of gang leader ignores a structured revenue source? 

“Anything else?” Alexander asked, giving John a look that said he might have heard the man’s comments. Theo stepped in front of the man and glared back at Alexander. 

“We have a schedule for who works what nights already,” Martha explained. “We’d rather not change that.” 

“That’s fine with me,” Washington agreed. Martha was quiet for a while, then she looked back at the rest of them with a shrug. 

“You don’t have to think of everything right now,” Washington offered. “I know this is a big change and there’s a lot on your minds, but as long as we have some ground rules worked out that’ll make this transition easier. If you have more questions, you can just ask Alexander or myself.” 

“Alright,” Martha agreed. “If you don’t have anything else that we need to know, then we should go start getting ready for tonight.” She took a step towards the stage, prompting everyone to follow her, but Washington cut them off. 

“One more thing. Which one of you goes by the name ‘Angel?’”

No one moved. No one even blinked lest that give Aaron away, but they couldn’t just stand there and lie. Washington clearly knew that there was someone at the club with that name. He would know they were hiding something if they all denied it. Alexander’s eyes started to narrow and the rest of Washington’s men reached every so slightly towards their waistbands. Aaron acted quickly before anyone else could think of speaking up and before Maria could stop him. He stepped away from his friends and raised his head high.

“I do,” he said, staring Washington down. Alexander looked surprised while Washington only raised an eyebrow before scanning him up and down. 

“Alright. The rest of you go get ready. I need to speak with you alone.” 

“Aar-Angel,” Maria tried to protest, but Aaron gave her a soft smile. 

“It’ll be fine,” he promised. 

“Nothing’s going to happen to him,” Washington added. 

That did little to ease the tortured look on Maria’s face. Martha herself also looked ready to argue, but Aaron shook his head. There was a moment of tension where none of the dancers made any attempt to leave. They all stared at Washington with judgment in their eyes until finally James pulled Benjamin away and the others slowly followed. Maria and Theo were the last to make their way backstage, looking over their shoulders again and again as if they expected to find Aaron suddenly missing. He watched them all go Aaron watched them go till they all vanished into the back, then he turned his attention back to Washington and his gang. 

“Follow me,” Washington ordered, turning around and heading back towards Wilkinson’s old office. Alexander trailed after him, but the other men stayed behind by the bar. Aaron bit back the things he wanted to say as he followed the pair down the familiar hallway. Just a month ago he walked this same path on his way to meet King for the first time. The irony wasn’t lost on Aaron. What had his life become? When Aaron stepped into the office he was surprised to find it already cleared out. Wilkinson’s stuff was already gone, leaving on his desk and chairs behind. Two other men were already waiting for them there. One of them Aaron recognized as a previous customer. He’d come to the club at least five times. The scar over his left eye gave a memorable face. 

“Is this him?” Alexander asked, gesturing to Aaron. The man with the scar stepped closer to him, taking the time to study his face before looking him up and down slowly. Aaron stood still and stared back, wondering what the man was trying to find. 

“It’s him,” he declared. 

“Good,” Washington stated as he walked behind the desk and took a seat. Alexander stood off to the side, reminding Aaron of how Samuel acted with King. He didn’t think any of them would appreciate the comparison. 

“Do you remember me?” the scarred man wondered. 

“I do,” Aaron answered. “Mostly because of the scar.” 

“I told you that you should have covered it up,” the other unnamed man commented with a shake of his head. 

“Angel, this is Monty,” Washington introduced the man with the scar, “and Philip,” the other older man that Aaron couldn’t say he’d seen before. 

“Aaron,” he softly corrected. 

“What?” 

“My real name is Aaron.” 

“Thank God. For a while I was worried your parents actually named you Angel,” Monty said. Philip and Alexander rolled their eyes, but Washington ignored the comment and kept his attention on Aaron. 

“According to Monty and other sources, you work for George King,” Washington claimed. Aaron’s blood went cold at the words. It was less of a question and more of a statement even though there was a curious tone as if Washington didn’t quite believe what he’d been told. Aaron shook his head. 

“I don’t work for him,” he insisted. “I’m not part of his gang or anything like that. He just pays me to dance and stuff.” Alexander made a face and leaned over to whisper something to Washington. 

“How often does he hire you to meet with him?” Philip asked. Aaron couldn’t help but feel like the man was familiar. More so in a way where he looked like someone else Aaron knew, yet he couldn’t figure out the relation. 

“Not often. It’s not a constant thing.” 

“But it’s happened more than once,” Monty stated. 

Aaron pressed his lips together. That explains why he’d seen Monty more than once at the club on days when King had visited. He’d never put the connection together until this very moment, but now it all made sense. Benjamin and James had seen repeating customers as well that turned out to the gang members. Washington must have been scoping out the place for months looking for information. Monty must have seen King going into the private room before Aaron. Now he had a target on his back. Fucking great. 

“Yes.” 

“Do you think he’ll try to hire you again?” 

“Maybe? I don’t really know.” 

The room went quiet for a long moment as the four men looked at each other. Philip was the first one to give any sort of sign. He shook his head, prompting Monty to nod with a look of protest on his face. Alexander shrugged when Washington glanced at him. Aaron kept his face blank as he waited, but on the inside, his mind was running a mile a minute and his heart felt ready to burst from his chest. His stomach was in knots, making him feel sick. He had no idea what Washington wanted from him. Didn’t know why he even cared that Aaron had met with King a few times. The confusion mixed with his fear until Aaron was left feeling lightheaded and off balance. 

“I want to offer you a job,” Washington said. Aaron couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows. “A job as a spy for my crew.” Aaron almost laughed at the offer. Almost. Thankfully, he kept his face blank and pretended to think it over. The answer would be ‘fuck no.’ There was no way Aaron was putting himself in the middle of two gangs. Nope. Not happening. 

“I’ll pay you $30,000 for any information you bring to me after you meet with King.” 

Aaron choked the next breathe he tried to take. 30k?! That was a lot of fucking money. A lot. But was it worth it? Money was useless if he was dead. 

“What kind of information do you want?” Aaron wondered. “He hasn’t told me anything about his business. Hasn’t even mentioned it. I don’t know if I’ll be able to get what you want.” 

“I know it’ll take time for you to get real information, so I’ll pay you $10,000 the first couple times until you start to bring me useful info,” Washington answered. 

“By useful he means shipments, names of King’s contacts, weapons, gang movements, anything relating to his empire,” Alexander added. “The more detail, the better.” 

“I can’t guarantee he’ll tell me anything at all no matter how many times we meet,” Aaron pointed out. 

“I know that, but are you willing to try?” 

Was he? Was he really willing to put himself in danger just for money? If King found out he was a spy, he’d be dead for sure. Or worse things could even happen. And he couldn’t really trust Washington or anyone in his gang. They all had their own agendas and motivations. Was it worth it? 30k was a lot of money, plus King would still be paying Aaron at the same time for their meetings. He could make over 50k in one night if he did this right. After three or four meetings that would be enough to get Aaron and Maria out of this town. Perhaps it was worth the danger, but not unless he created a safety net first.

“Maybe. But I have a few conditions,” he said. 

“Name them.” 

“If anything happens to me, I want you to give $100,000 to Maria,” Aaron listed. 

“Done,” Washington agreed quickly. 

“Alright. I’m also not wearing a wire or any of that shit.” 

“Course not. King would figure that out quicker than a bloodhound on a fox,” Philip said. Aaron gave him a look about the metaphor but didn’t comment on it. 

“I get my money first, then I tell you the information.” 

Alexander opened his mouth to protest, but Monty cut him off. 

“That’s fair.” 

“And I’m not in your gang,” Aaron warned. “I’m doing this for the price tag. At the end of the day, I don’t really care about this fight.” 

“I don’t expect you to,” Washington said, raising from his seat. “If you bring me good enough information, I’ll be happy to bump up the price. And if it’s not working, if he’s not giving you anything good, then we can void the contract and you can do whatever you wanna do. Deal?” 

He offered Aaron his hand. Aaron took one final moment to think it all over. He still wasn’t a hundred percent sure, still had some reservations about it, but nevertheless, he reached out and took Washington’s hand. A single firm shake and the deal was struck. Aaron could only hope that he’d hadn’t made a deal with a devil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for the kudos and comments! 
> 
> I have a quick question for anyone who wants to help me with the formatting of this story.  
> As you probably saw in this chapter, there were some texts sent between characters. This will show up again, and I'm struggling to figure out how to format texts. I even looked into using images, but I feared that would be unfair to any readers who have vision issues.
> 
> Please let me know if you have any ideas! Leave me a comment, or feel free to message me on tumblr [@holdthesewords.](https://holdthesewords.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chapter 6

Two days later, Aaron woke up around noon to find a text from King already waiting for him. He sighed, throwing an arm over his eyes and thinking about what the fuck he was going to do. Part of him had been hoping that King would forget about him. There were other people in the city for him to toy with. Aaron wasn’t special or interesting. He could find someone else that was better. Plus it’d save Aaron a lot of trouble, but of course, that wasn’t going to happen. Then again, Aaron had never been a lucky person. He unlocked his phone, read the message and replied.

Jonathan: _I want to see you._

Aaron: _When?_

Jonathan: _Today. In 2 hours_

Aaron: _During the day?_

Jonathan: _Yes. I’ll send a car._

Aaron: _Sure._

 

Aaron: _Do you have any outfit request?_

Jonathan: _Wear something comfortable._

Something comfortable? Aaron sighed. That wasn’t very helpful. Most of Aaron’s clothes, even his work clothes, were somewhat comfortable. Maybe King meant a casual look? Something that wasn’t flashy. Something that looked more average than the stuff Aaron had worn previously. He locked his phone and rolled over to press his face into the pillow. He didn’t want to get up yet. He knew it was late, and he usually never slept in this long, but he hadn’t been sleeping well since he made the deal with Washington. He’d been dreading this moment. Now he had to make a choice. Was he really going to go through with this? Was he really going to spy on the most powerful man in the city? 

He could hear the TV playing in the living room. Maria must be watching the Great British Bake-off or something like that. A huge part of him wished he could talk to her about this, wished he could ask for her advice, but he refused to get her involved. He had told her about the business card, and about King having his phone number, but he hadn’t told her any details from their meetings. He was already keeping so much from her, what was another secret? Besides, he knew what she would say. She made her feelings about his meetings with King very clear and she would only focus on the dangerous part of the deal, not the benefits. And there were benefits. Huge benefits. More money than they could ever imagine. They’d finally have enough to get away. Once they were safe, then Aaron would tell her the truth. Then he’d spill all his secrets, but for now, he had to face this challenge himself. He forced himself out of bed, groaning as his back cracked. He yawned and made his way to the bathroom to get ready. He needed a quick shower then he planned on doing some light makeup. He kept thinking about what outfit he wanted to wear as he turned the water on. 

He mentally went through his closet, crossing items out as he went. The weather outside was starting to turn cool, but it was still too warm for him to wear a sweater. While sweatpants were comfortable, there was no way in hell he was wearing them to King’s penthouse. A skirt would be too on the nose. No heels either. He had a few pairs of pants, but which color should he go with? Not yellow. Why did he even have yellow pants? Oh yeah! Theo got them for him. Maybe green? Nah. It clicked in his head just as he finished the second wing on his right eye. He couldn't believe it took him so long to think of it. 

Aaron put away his makeup after checking his face one last time, then returned to the bedroom. He still had a lot of time; however, he believed it was always better to get ready sooner rather than later. He searched through his pile of clothes for a pair of maroon skinny jeans. He didn’t wear them often, didn’t think the color worked for him, but he had a good feeling King would like them. He picked out a long sleeve black and white striped shirt to go with the pants. It was tight, defining the shape of his arms, chest, and stomach perfectly. A comfortable, yet still sexy outfit. He didn’t want to bore King if he wanted to fulfil his part of Washington’s deal He’ll wear his black combat boots with it to finish off the look. After he finished getting dressed, he headed for the living room to check in with Maria. 

“He lives,” Maria teased as he walked into the room. Aaron let himself fall onto the couch next to her, leaning against her shoulder. 

“What season is this?” 

“Third.” 

“Classic.” 

“You feeling okay?” she asked. She said it casually, but Aaron could hear the worry behind the words. 

“Yeah. Just tired and all that. Plus...” he trailed off, again unsure how much he should tell her. How many lies did he want to keep? “I got a text from King.” 

“And you’re going,” Maria replied. It wasn’t a question, yet Aaron still nodded his head. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and held him close. 

Aaron sank against her, wishing that her arms could protect him from the harsh world around them. He wished he could protect her too. Wished he could change their situation with a snap of his fingers, but that wasn’t how the world worked. Aaron didn’t have that kind of power. That’s why he decided to take Washington’s deal. The money he’d earn would help them. Protect them. Maybe even save them if Aaron did everything right. That was priceless. There was that stupid saying about how money couldn’t buy happiness, but it could buy food and a home and safety. 

“I’ll text you when I arrive and when I’m on my way back,” Aaron promised. Maria still frowned, but she didn’t protest. They turned their attention back to the TV. Aaron shut his eyes for a moment, letting the voices from the show wash over him as he focused on Maria’s heartbeat. He tried to will his heart to match the rhythm, but it was hard to make his nerves go away. He was scared. Terrified. He wasn’t sure he could do this. What if King found out? What would happen to him? To Maria? To Susan? There were so many what ifs, yet Aaron knew he had to try. He had to do something. He couldn’t just sit back while the cage around them got stronger. 

“I love you,” he muttered. He needed her to hear those words, needed her to know how much she meant to him. Maria’s grip tightened. 

“I love you too.” 

Another brief moment of silence passed between them, nothing but the sound of the TV filtering through the apartment. 

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Maria asked again. 

“I’m okay,” he assured her. 

“I just worry about you and stuff.” 

“I know.”

“I care about you a lot.” 

“And I care about you,” Aaron echoed. “Thanks for asking. It means a lot.” And it did. He just wished he wasn’t such a liar.

* * *

Aaron shut the door to the apartment behind him and made his way down the stairs. They were lucky to live on the third floor. Even though it sucked having to go up and down the stairs every single day. But it was still better than having an apartment on the ground floor where it was easier for thieves. Aaron checked his phone when he got to the bottom of the stairs, rereading the message King had sent him last. The car should be arriving any moment now. Aaron pushed through the front door to the apartment building, stepping out into the midday sun. He stayed close to the building, keeping his phone out and pretending to text as he scanned the sidewalk. This wasn’t a part of town where people went walking, but there were still some strangers making their way down the street towards bus stops or into the small grocery store on the corner. 

Aaron tried to will them to walk faster. This was the reason he didn’t want to meet King during the day. He didn’t want people watching him as he got into a large black car during the day. It could spell trouble for him and Maria. He didn’t want his family to get burned by gossip. It spread like wildfire, sending rumours and misinformation throughout the neighbourhood. At best he’d be called a whore, but at worse someone would get it in their head to try and rob Aaron. He had to watch his back. Keep his eyes open and ears alert. Always be ready for shit to go south. 

Thankfully, the last of the walkers vanished into the store just as a familiar black car turned the corner onto his street. Aaron reached for the door handle before the car even came to a complete stop. He was inside in under twenty seconds and they were peeling away from the curb five seconds later. Quick, easy, and mostly under the radar. 

“Cornwallis. Clinton,” Aaron greeted the men sitting in the front seat. Cornwallis only nodded, but Clinton turned and gave him a slight smile. 

“Boss wants to meet at a new place,” Cornwallis informed him as they turned the corner. 

“A new place?” 

“One of his favorites,” Clinton added. 

“Great,” Aaron muttered, keeping a heavy sigh inside to avoid ticking off the guards. He didn’t want them saying anything to King behind his back. The rest of the drive was silent besides the soft music coming from the radio. Aaron was used to the guards’ silence by now. It used to make him nervous, but now he didn’t mind it so much anymore. 

Aaron was used to the guards’ silence by now. It used to make him nervous, but now he didn’t mind it so much anymore. Cornwallis was acting as the driver this time while Clinton glanced out the windows. On the first two trips to King's penthouse, they brought a third man to drive the car and sat in the back with Aaron, but they'd since abandoned that after the third visit. Their large build was already intimidating, and even more so when Aaron thought about the guns strapped to their chests. He often wondered what they would do if someone tried to stop the car with Aaron inside. Would they protect the car or him? 

It didn't take long before Cornwallis pulled the car up in front of a building. A golden-plated sign proudly declared the "Le Plaisir." Aaron wondered if anyone inside even spoke French. Aaron waited until Clinton opened his door before stepping out onto the sidewalk, something he'd learn on the fourth trip. Waiting gave Clinton the opportunity to look around before Aaron exited. Again, Aaron wondered if King was truly worried about his safety or if this was all just a power trip to remind Aaron how small he was. Clinton gave Aaron a soft smile, nodding towards the front entrance of the building and guiding him forward while Cornwallis fell in behind. 

Inside, the restaurant lived up to its name when it came to it's aesthetic. Aaron had never been in such a fancy place before, well besides King's penthouse. The floor was polished so well that Aaron could see his reflection. The walls and ceiling were white with gold details and intricate carvings featuring flowers and birds. The lighting was low enough that it created a mysterious atmosphere, but still light enough that Aaron could easily see the tables covered with white tablecloths and more silverware than any single person could ever need. Clinton nodded to the host, an older man dressed in a black button-down with matching black pants, as they walked by. They found King in at a corner table with a wine glass already in his hand. Against all the white, the red color of the wine stood out like a beacon. 

King told Aaron to dress comfortable, but now he felt terribly underdressed compared to his surroundings and the way King himself was dressed. The mob boss was wearing one of his tailor suits with a red shirt underneath. The clothing hugged his body in all the right places. Always handsome and deadly. King took a sip of his wine and nodded to the chair across from him. Aaron quickly took it while Clinton and Cornwallis sat at another table nearby to give them the illusion of privacy. 

"I'm glad to see you in one piece," King said, his eyes running over Aaron's chest then up to meet his eyes. 

"Were you worried?" Aaron asked. The question was supposed to be a tease, but they can both feel that it had some extra weight to it. A waiter appeared before King could answer his question. 

"Can I get you anything, sir?" the man wondered. Aaron glanced at King, who dismissively waved his hand in the form of an answer. 

"The same as him please," Aaron replied. The waiter gave a firm nod, then walked away. Aaron noticed a pleased look in King's eyes when Aaron turned his attention back to him.

"You're always so polite," King teased. "I can only imagine how well you'd beg for it." 

"You will never know," he answered the tease with one of his own. "Or maybe you will. Who really knows." 

King had hinted quite a few times about them having sex, but Aaron always combatted his advantages with a coy smile and clever words. A soft smile appeared on King's lips at the words. He took another sip of his wine as the waiter returned with Aaron's own glass. He made sure to thank the man as he grabbed the offered drink. King held his own glass out towards Aaron, encouraging him to take a drink. The wine was sweeter than he expected but still good. 

"I've had many thoughts about laying you out across this table," King admitted, "but that's not why we're here today." 

"It's not?" Aaron said, sticking out his bottom lip to pout. "How disappointing." 

That earned him a smile as King set down his glass. The smile faded away too quickly and Aaron felt his heart drop. There was something serious on King's mind, something involving him. Aaron could only imagine what he wanted. It was hard to keep his fear from growing with each passing second. 

"I'm glad that you're okay. I've heard conflicting reports about what happened to my men and to my assets. I'm hoping that perhaps you will be able to help clear the air a bit," King explained. "I have some questions for you and I do hope you'll answer them honestly." 

"Of course, anything I can do to help," Aaron assured him, taking a long drink of his wine to calm his nerves. 

"Who's taken over my club?" 

Aaron took a deep breath as he thought about how to proceed. He could lie and say that he didn't know, that he'd hadn't met the new gang leader who'd stolen King's territory, but then he'd be useless to King and he might throw Aaron aside, which would ruin any chance Aaron had of fulfilling his deal with Washington. He had to play this game carefully. Be mindful of what he said and how much he gave away. Consider his tone and his words as if his life depended on it. 

"A man named George Washington." 

"Damn it!" King cursed, slamming his hand on the table. Aaron jumped, his fear wrapping around his throat. King noticed his reaction and shook his head. "I'm sorry. You're okay. You're okay. I'm not mad at you. I just...I know him. We have a history. Was anyone else with him?"

"Yes. He had a large group of people with him, but I don't know all their names. He told us the club belonged to him.” 

“Did he mention the other gangs at all?” 

“He didn’t. And I don’t remember seeing any symbols or any marking what gang he even represented.” 

“Did he tell you what he planned to do with the club?” 

“He plans to run it as a strip club and told us we were all welcomed to stay or we could leave and find work elsewhere." 

"And you've chosen to stay?"

"My apartment is inside his territory now too. I was worried that if I tried to leave, something bad might happen to me," Aaron confessed. "He said we'd be safe, but I know better than to trust empty words from a man who’d already killed so many."

"You are so smart, my darling. So very smart," King praised, reaching across the table towards him. Aaron quickly took his hand. "One of the smartest people I know, which is why I have a proposition for you. One that I hope you'll take." 

"Oh?" 

"Washington is a dangerous man. A man who wants to destroy everything I've built and I won't be able to stop him using my usual methods, but you, you my sweet are in the perfect position to help me. I want you to be my spy on the inside. I want you to watch and listen to what goes on in the club and report back to me. And, if you are willing and able, I want you to try and get close to Washington. Learn his secrets so that I can get rid of him once and for all." 

Aaron struggled not to laugh at the irony. Washington asked him to spy on King and now King was asking him to do the same. How the fuck had his life become so complicated so quickly? He was already keeping so many secrets from his friends. It was only a matter of time before he slipped up, and some of the secrets he knew would only lead to trouble. What the hell was he going to do? 

"That sounds dangerous," Aaron softly confessed, trying to buy some time to come up with a plan. He couldn't say no. It'd ruin any chance of him getting closer to King to get information for Washington, but if he said yes then he'd be working for both sides. Wasn't there a saying about people who straddle the fence ended up impaled by its spikes? 

"It would be," King admitted, "but that's why I plan to pay you. Let's say 20k for any information you can bring to me. Names. Places. Anything that you think could be used against Washington and his people." 

"20k?" Aaron echoed. Not as much as Washington offered, but still a hefty sum. 

"On top of what I already pay you for your visits." 

"Oh shit," Aaron couldn't help himself. 

That was a total of 40k to 50k per visit if he brought King information. Clearly, King was serious about Aaron being his spy on the inside, but was the money worth the danger? If Washington found out, then Aaron would meet the business end of a gun, or worse. But the same thing could happen if King found out that Aaron was trying to spy on him. Thoughts of Maria and Susan suddenly popped into his mind. That's what the money was for. To help them. Save them from this cruel city. It was worth the danger to himself if it means he'd get them out of here alive and safe. Adding King's money on top of Washington's would get him closer to his goal a lot quicker. 

"I'll try," Aaron said, "I'm not sure I'll be able to get close to him, but I'll keep my eyes and ears open and tell you whatever I figure out." 

He didn't try to add any terms or conditions to the deal. King already planned to pay him even if he didn't bring information. And while the mob boss might know about Maria, Aaron wasn't going to mention her himself just in case. He'd only added the condition to Washington because the man seemed desperate. King wasn't. If King wanted, he could find another spy to slip into the club. He was only asking Aaron because he was the most convenient option. 

"If worst comes to worst and you can't figure anything out, or you think that Washington is on to you, then you're always welcomed to move to one of my clubs instead. I'll even have some people help move you out of your apartment," King offered. 

"Why?" 

The question escaped Aaron's mouth before he had to chance to catch it. It had been a question plaguing him since King's first invitation. The man claimed Aaron was a good dancer and a pretty face, but that still didn't explain why King had been so concerned with Aaron's safety and would now offer to help get Aaron out of Washington's territory altogether. It couldn't just be because King wanted to sleep with him. If he really wanted that, then he could have easily demanded it from the start. King seemed to ponder the question for a moment, picking up his glass of wine and taking a small sip of it as he stared at something over Aaron's shoulder.

"I wish I had a better answer," King said, setting his glass down, "but I don't. There's just something about you that I like. Something more than just your dancing and adorable face, but I can't put my finger on it. I noticed it the first time we met. There was something underneath the surface. Something that called to me and demanded my attention, and I still can't quite figure it out, but I want to. And I want to make sure that I have the chance to see what that something is. I'll never figure it out if something happens to you, and that would be a damn shame." 

"Well, let's hope nothing happens to me," Aaron suggested, raising his glass towards King. His answer didn't help Aaron at all. It didn't tell him what to do to keep King interested in him, nor did it explain what King truly wanted from him. If he wanted to play this game, he needed to know the rules. Needed to know where they draw the line, but King wasn't going to help him. At least not yet.

"Hungry?" King wondered, waving a hand towards the waiter. 

"I am." 

"Perfect. They serve my favorite duck dish here. I'm sure you'll love it as well." 

"We shall see." 

The rest of their meeting was filled with light, teasing conversation, good wine, and better food. King didn't bring up his proposition again, nor did he ask Aaron any more questions about the club or its owner. Instead, King focused on Aaron, teasing him here and there with a foot against his ankle as they talked about unimportant things. Aaron teased the man in return, thankful that King appeared less serious, but his mind was already working on a plan about how he was going to make all this work out in his favor. He was still careful about what he told the mob boss, leaving out details here and there to ensure that King wouldn't be able to use anything against him later. He wanted to stay a mystery as much as possible. He tried repeatedly to turn the conservation towards King, but he only got a tiny sliver of information about his family. 

When their meals arrived, the atmosphere between them changed. King asked Aaron to abandoned his own chair in favor of King's lap. It was a familiar position by now and King fed Aaron from his own fork. Aaron used the opportunity to whisper in King's ear, hoping to draw some more information out of him. It didn't work as well as he hoped, but he made a mental note to try again. By the time they were done with their food, an hour and a half had passed by. King offered Aaron dessert, but he declined with a quick excuse about his figure. 

"Bullshit," King declared. "Your figure isn't going to be ruined by one piece of cake." 

"You don't know what!" Aaron replied with a smile. "It'll go straight to my thighs and then what will I do?" 

"So dramatic. Besides, your thighs could use a little more fat on them." King placed his hand on Aaron's knee and slowly ran it up his leg to rest on his thigh. 

"You say that now, but staying in shape is how I'm able to dance as well as I do. I have to stay in shape or else I'd be bad at my job." 

"You could never be bad at your job. Not with a face like yours." 

"You think you're so very smooth," Aaron teased, shaking his head. 

"Are you sure there isn't any way I could convince you to come back to the penthouse with me?" King wondered, his hand sliding up Aaron's thigh towards his crotch. Aaron quickly placed his hand on top just in time before the hand could reach its true target. He hummed softly as if he was thinking about it, then leaned over to whisper in King's ear. 

"Give me the stars and then I'll think about it," he teased. King pouted at the answer, prompting Aaron to laugh. 

While he was still chuckling, King grabbed him by the chin and pulled him in for a kiss. Aaron was so shocked that he almost pulled away, but then he reminded himself who he was kissing and what his job was. He allowed himself to kiss back for a while, giving King a taste of what he wanted. He broke the kiss and pressed his forehead against King's. 

"Perhaps one day you'll convince me, but today is not that day." 

"Usually, I can't stand waiting for things," King replied, "but for you, I can." Aaron gifted him with another kiss, then glanced at the clock on the wall. 

"I should go."

"Are you going to turn into a pumpkin if you don't get home in time?" King joked. 

"Ha ha ha. No," Aaron stuck his tongue out as an extra measure. King only snapped his teeth with a playful look. "I need to go home and get ready before heading to work. Remember?" 

"Of course, of course," King agreed, kissing Aaron's cheek. "Clinton, take Aaron home and make sure he gets inside safely." 

"Yes, sir," Clinton said, abandoning his card game with Cornwallis. King reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded pile of cash. He hit Aaron on the nose with it, but quickly held it out of Aaron's reach when he went to grab it. They stared at each other for a moment. Aaron begged his heart to stop beating so quickly. 

"Remember what we talked about," King ordered. 

"I will," Aaron assured him. "I promise I'll try." 

"That's my boy." 

"I'll see you soon?" 

"Very soon." 

"Good." 

Aaron climbed off King's lap, leaning over to give him a final kiss on the cheek before following Clinton out. He looked over his shoulder to offer King a small wave just as they walked through the door. Clinton led Aaron towards the car, opening the front door this time. 

"Makes no sense for you to sit in the back when it's just the two of us," Clinton explained after Aaron gave him a confused look. He couldn't argue with that logic. He climbed into the passenger seat, watching Clinton as he walked around the front of the car and got in. 

"Can I change the radio station?" Aaron wondered. Clinton gave him a hard look. For a moment, Aaron's heart froze, but then the other man smiled. 

"Sure." 

Aaron messed with the radio until he found a channel he liked. He noticed Clinton tapping against the steering wheel along with the song's beat. 

"How long have you worked for King?" Aaron asked. Clinton's fingers stopped. He kept his eyes on the road, but Aaron could tell his attention was now elsewhere. 

"Longer than you've been alive," Clinton replied. "I worked for his father first for a number of years. When George turned ten, I was assigned to keep an eye on him and I've been with him ever since." 

"You're older than I thought." 

"Watch yourself!"

"I'm kidding," Aaron giggled. Clinton gave him a quick look that only made him laugh harder. 

"George can be a little...rough around the edges, but he's a good man." 

A good man who killed another using a saw blade. A good man who transported drugs into the city and sold them to anyone who had a buck to give. A good man who paid off cops and politics and god knows who else. Not really Aaron's definition of a good man, but Clinton had known King when he was a child. It was probably hard for him to see the monster of a man he had become. Or perhaps Clinton saw King's power as an order. At least King had rules for everyone to follow and it seemed only the people who stepped outside those rules met an ill fate. Some people might see that as good, but what about the others. The people who didn't have power or wealth. Who could buy themselves out of trouble, nor had the power to have King's support. Those people saw a monster who took power that hadn't been willingly given. It wasn't surprising that Washington had gathered the strength to rise up against King, yet Aaron feared how everyone else would get caught in the middle. He wanted to protect the people he loved, and maybe working as a spy was the best way to ensure their safety. Even if it costs him his own.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all the kudos and comments! It really really means the world to me. I know I say that like every chapter, but it really does! Posting a new chapter can be a nerve wracking experiences, so it's always nice to see such a great response. Thank you again!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry that I missed posting this yesterday! Stuff happened, but I worked it out and here is the new chapter. 
> 
>  Please see end notes for chapter warnings, and please be mindful of the new tags on this story as we're moving into a darker realm.

Aaron's eyes scanned the crowd as he walked along the stage. He stepped in time with the beat, leaning his head back and trailing his hands down his bare chest to draw attention to the tiny pair of shorts he was wearing as he moved his hips from side to side. He paused at the very edge of the stage, looking down at a group of men sitting nearby. One of them held out some cash and offered Aaron a timid look. The rest of the group was staring at Aaron with hungry eyes, yet none of them moved to offer anything to him. Aaron easily dropped to his knees, spreading his legs as he leaned forward to grab the money. He batted his eyelashes, giving the man a soft smile before licking his lips slowly as he looked the man up and down. The man's eyes followed his tongue with interest. Aaron slide the money into his shorts, then crawled down the edge of the stage to another man. 

As he went, he took note of the people in the crowd. They've lost some of their regulars since Washington had taken over a month ago, but there were still a few that continued to come despite the new management. Which could mean that, like Monty, they were Washington's spies, or they didn't care about the gangs. So far, he'd only learned the names of some of Washington's inner circle and what their basic jobs were. Alexander, Washington's right-hand man, was in charge of much more than just operating the club. From what Aaron heard from John, Alexander was in charge of all of Washington's financial information. He was good with numbers and had a love for spreadsheets. He was also egotistic and a loud mouth. He accused three dancers of being prostitutes. Peggy grabbing John's arm was the only reason he didn't get decked in the face for his comment. 

Monty, an ex-war vet, specialized in weapons. He was Washington's grim reaper. If Washington wanted someone dead, he called Monty. Aaron found out when Caleb, one of Washington's spies, had come to tell Monty about a new hit while Aaron was dancing for him. Monty had slipped Aaron some cash for his trouble, kissed his cheek, and left the room with a cold look in his eyes. It sent shivers down Aaron’s spine, filling his heart and soul with dread. At first, Aaron hadn't believed Monty had really been in the military, but the tattoo on his shoulder plus that look proved the dark story he told about the scar on his face. 

Aaron had never met someone like Caleb, someone who could change their appearance so easily that Aaron wasn't sure he knew what Caleb really looked like. He could either blend into a large crowd or stand out like a sore thumb. Aaron didn't know how he did it, but it made him an amazing spy. Thomas Jefferson, a man with a shark-like smile, was Washington's dealer. He handled all of Washington's contracts. Aaron still wasn't sure what exactly Washington was dealing, but it had to be something dangerous. Why else would he need to employ a man with such a silver tongue? Poor James had seen Thomas before and actually quite liked the man. But now he tried his best to ignore Thomas' attention despite the fact that Thomas came every single week specifically just to see James. 

Philip was a businessman, though Aaron didn't know what business he did or how much money he had. Philip had only come around a few times, and the last time he ran into Peggy by the bar, stared at her like he saw a ghost, then ran off. That was a week ago. Peggy had stormed into the dressing room and put her fist through a mirror. Martha and Theo calmed her down and cleaned her up, but no one could get her to talk about what happened. Aaron had offered her a drink afterwards without any questions. If she wanted to talk, she'd talk and he'd gladly listen, but he was gonna pry information out of her. They all had secrets. He would respect hers. 

He reported everything to King, who'd been overjoyed at Aaron's process, but Aaron still hadn't been able to figure out the chain of command, nor did he find any information about the other two gangs. He knew King wanted more, but he was struggling to figure stuff out. Washington only came to the club twice a week at the most, and it was impossible to get close to Alexander with how prickly he was. Monty and Caleb knew better than to talk about business in front of him. Thomas couldn't be trusted. Philip was MIA and useless. Aaron needed to figure out how to get closer to one of them if he wanted to tap more information. 

At the same time, when Washington did visit, Aaron gave his other report. He supplied Washington with basic details about the layout of King's penthouse, information about his guards, and overheard conversations about drug deals. Nothing that was super helpful in the long run, but Washington had praised him for doing a good job and kept his side of the deal. The only way Aaron was gonna find out more from King was if he spent more time with the man, but that would put him in danger at the same time. His whole situation just kept getting more and more complicated. 

Aaron turned over onto his back as he reached out for more money from another man. He opened his mouth in a silent cry as he arched his back, mimicking a sex pose that made the man's mouth drop open in shock. Aaron snatched the money and flipped back onto his stomach before climbing up to his feet as his song came to an end. He glanced out into the crowd again and noticed a man near the bar watching him intently. He'd seen him once before. He was a friend of Monty or something like that. What was his name again? Andrew? Andy? Arnold? That was it. Arnold. He stared at Aaron, giving a single nod towards the private rooms. Aaron nodded back, adding a quick wink, and strutted off stage as the lights went out. 

He quickly emptied the money from his shorts into his safe and changed into a different outfit. He went with another pair of tiny shorts; however, this pair was a deep blue, almost black color. He added a matching crop top, a headband with cat ears, and a clip-on tail to complete his cat look. He quickly changed out his heels for a new black pair before heading towards the private rooms. Arnold was already waiting for him. The older man’s eyes trailed up his body with a mischievous look. He offered Aaron his arm like a real gentleman before guiding Aaron towards one of the free private rooms. Aaron took the time to study Arnold’s face. Overall, Aaron would say he was handsome enough. He didn’t look as old as Monty. Perhaps that’s because Monty’s scars made him look more rugged and mature. Arnold’s black hair was combed back away from his forehead, only making it appear bigger. His blue eyes were rather impressive; however, the way he looked at Aaron sent shivers down his spine. He’d seen such a look before countless times. 

Aaron had to admit as they slipped into one of the rooms, Washington’s idea to remove the doors from the private rooms and install curtains instead made Aaron feel a lot safer. It took away some of the privacy, which made it harder to get customers to talk, or for Aaron to break the no touching rule, but it also made it less likely that one of his customers would get too handsy without his permission. 

“I have to tell you that you came highly recommended,” Arnold explained. He took a seat on one of the couches and patted his lap with a welcoming smile. Aaron eased himself down, wrapping his arms around Arnold’s neck and tilting his head to the side. 

“By who?” he wondered. 

“Monty. I couldn’t get him to shut up about you, so I had to come and see for myself.” 

“You’ll have to let me know if I live up the hype,” Aaron replied, gently rolling his hips forward. Arnold’s eyes went soft at the movement. He reached out to grab Aaron’s hips, but his hand froze midway. Aaron rewarded him by pressing closer and breathing heavily in his ear. 

“Good boy. Keep your hands to yourself. Let me do all the work. Let me _please_ you.” 

Arnold hummed at the words, placing his hands on the couch and holding on tightly as he tilted his head back. Aaron had to give him credit for being so mindful about the rules. He hadn’t even tried to ask Aaron to break them. Aaron kept rolling his hips in a slow rhythm, pushing down just right. He gasped along with Arnold to add to his act. It was impossible to deny that the friction turned him on just as much, but that was as far as the truth in his act went. Aaron pressed his lips against Arnold’s neck for a brief moment before biting at his ear. 

“Am I what you imagined?” 

“And more,” Arnold replied in a shaky voice. 

“Good. I’d be sad if you said differently.” 

“Fuck, you are really fucking good,” Arnold praised.

Aaron let out a tiny fake laugh that sounded just breathless enough to make Arnold think that he was hot and bothered by more than just his body moving. He quickly climbed to his feet, turned around and sat back down with his back pressed against Arnold’s chest. The new position gave him more room to move and allowed him to lean forward so his tiny shorts revealed that he wasn’t wearing anything underneath. Arnold let out a loud groan. Aaron rolled his eyes as the man’s arousal pressed even harder against his ass. Another benefit of having his back to this client, they couldn’t see his face. 

“It’s too hot in this,” Aaron complained, reaching up to remove his crop top in one fluid motion. He tossed it at the table behind him for safe keeping. 

“Is...is that better?” Arnold asked. One of his hands came off the couch, but he still kept it far enough away from Aaron’s body that Aaron didn’t feel the need to remind him of the rules. 

“A bit,” Aaron lied. He wasn’t hot at all, but this was one of his favorite ways to tease clients. He leaned back against the man’s chest again, turning his head to look at Arnold’s face. He rolled his hips, letting his eyes close just enough to give Arnold even more ideas about what else they could be doing. 

“Maybe I should take off my shorts too,” he whispered, biting at his bottom lip. Arnold’s mouth fell open in surprise. Aaron offered him an innocent smile as he struggled to find the words. Aaron kissed Arnold’s cheek and stood up, reaching for his shorts as he kept an eye on Arnold over his shoulder. He started to pushed his shorts down just as a hand stuck through the curtain. 

“Time’s up,” John called, “I need the room.” Aaron returned his shorts to their original place, winking at Arnold as he turned around. 

“Sorry, baby. Maybe next time,” Aaron cooed. 

Arnold nodded, still too shocked to speak. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet. He held out a stack of twenties. Aaron stepped towards him, grabbed his hand and helped guide the money into his shorts, letting Arnold’s fingers trail over his skin just a bit. It barely counted as a touch, but the way Arnold’s eyes widen spoke volumes. Aaron would see him again. He placed a hand on Arnold’s cheek and leaned down till their faces were inches apart. 

“I’m happy I was able to live up to your expectations,” Aaron whispered. “Be sure to tell others how much you...enjoyed me.” He added another wink before pulling his hand away and leaving the room. 

“You may want to give him a minute,” he suggested, sharing a smirk with John. He noticed Alexander staring at him from the bar. Aaron raised an eyebrow. Alexander simply nodded his head towards the hallway. Washington had arrived and was most likely waiting for Aaron. He made his way over the bar, leaning over the counter to whisper in Alexander’s ear. He kicked up one of his feet to make them look less serious and more playful to anyone else watching. 

“I don’t have anything new for him,” Aaron whispered to Washington’s right hand. “I’d rather not waste his time.” 

“You’re taking your sweet ass time with this,” Alexander growled. If he got any more aggressive with the glass he was cleaning, he might just break it. 

“Would you like to trade places with me?” 

That shut him up, but Alexander still sent him a nasty glare as Aaron pulled away and blew him a kiss just to be annoying. Alexander acted so fucking high and mighty because he’d gone the college. Like he was the only one here who had an education. Lotta good it did him, though Aaron would never say that to his face. In all reality, he didn’t know what led Alexander to Washington, but he could probably guess it was something similar to the rest of them. School debt. Hospital bills. Running away from the people who tried to hurt you. All good enough reasons to end up with a gang. He’d just wished Alexander would stop looking down his nose at all of them. They were doing what they had to do to make a living. It wasn’t always easy, but it was work. He needed to get over himself and stop being such a prick. Maria found Aaron within seconds of him getting backstage. She hooked her arm around his and kissed his cheek. 

“What are you so happy about?” he wondered. 

“You’re going to have to walk home by yourself tonight,” Maria replied. “I’m going home with Theo.” 

“Oh really?” Aaron replied with a knowing smile. Maria tilted her head up with pride. 

“Really. Susan is at a sleepover, so you don’t need to worry about her. I’ll get her in the morning.” 

“I would say use protection, but-” 

“Oh shut up!” 

Aaron giggled as Maria gave him an embarrassed look. He was thrilled to hear that Theo and Maria finally stopped beating around the bush. The looks they kept giving each other had been driving Aaron crazy for months. Now if only he could get Martha to admit her feelings for Peggy, then they’d be rid of all the sexual tension backstage. He teased Maria for the rest of the night, winking at Theo and warning them not to bother the neighbors too much. Theo took it all in stride with a bright smile on her face while Maria repeatedly tried to shut him up but Aaron was having way too much fun. It was all with good intentions. Like a little brother teasing his older sister about her first date. 

After the last of the customers finally left Aaron said goodbye to Maria and Theo after making one final joke. Martha smacked his butt and gave him a warning to behave, then ordered him to get home safe. Aaron wrapped his hoodie tighter around his body as he watched the others walk the opposite way before starting off down the street by himself. There were still a few cars left on the street, but the city was far from being fully awake. Most people were already safely tucked in their beds. Aaron looked up towards the sky. He couldn’t see the stars due to the light pollution from the city, but he could make out the shape of an almost full moon. Sometimes, he missed his old home. He’d been able to see the stars from his bedroom window, but that didn’t make the pain of living with his Uncle any easier. One day, soon, he’d move away to a place where he’d be able to see the whole night sky every single night. 

An uneasy feeling suddenly ran down Aaron’s spine. The hair on the back of his neck and arms stood up as his body went on high alert while his mind tried to figure out why. He glanced to his right and left, but the street remained the same. A streetlight above him flickered, which was hardly a cause for such concern. He slowed down, making his steps quieter than before. Then he finally heard them. 

_Footsteps_

There were heavy footsteps behind him. For a split second, Aaron didn’t know what to do. Should he hunch his shoulders and make himself look small, unthreatening in hopes the person would overlook him? Or should he pull his shoulders back and stand tall to avoid becoming a target of an attack? He slide his hand towards his back pocket, reaching for his phone. If the person behind him was a thief, Aaron could throw his phone as a distraction. There were so many _“what ifs”_ running through his head. By the time Aaron finally made his decision, rough hands grabbed him by his hoodie and dragged him off the street and into the nearest alleyway. Aaron struggled, trying to slide his arms out of the hoodie to in an attempt to escape, but the hands spun him around and slammed him back against the building before he could get away. Only half the alley was lit thanks to the streetlights, the other half still covered in darkness; however, Aaron had just enough light to make out the face of his attacker. 

“Patterson, what the fuck do you want?” Aaron demanded. He pushed off the wall towards Patterson to try and knock off his hands. He didn’t like the look in the other man’s eyes. He needed to get out of this situation and fast. Patterson didn’t lose his grip despite all of Aaron’s efforts. Instead, he slammed Aaron backwards harder and grabbed his chin. His fingers squeezed until Aaron couldn’t help but cry out at the pain. 

“I’ve waited long enough for you to get your shit together,” Patterson growled, leaning in close to place his nose against Aaron’s cheek as he pressed his body closer. He used his chest to keep Aaron pinned as one of his hands trailed down Aaron’s side in order to grab his butt tightly. 

“Fuck off,” Aaron ordered. 

“You’ve owed me for years and it’s time to pay up,” Patterson replied, sliding his hand from Aaron’s back towards his crotch. Aaron gritted his teeth at the words and Patterson’s slimy hands on his body. He glanced towards the lit street. They were too far down the alley for anyone walking by to see them, and the streets were nearly empty at this time of night. Aaron couldn’t expect anyone to hear him screaming or come to his aid. He had to take care of this himself. 

“I don’t owe you shit,” he hissed. He brought his knee up, aiming right between Patterson’s legs. He didn’t hit his target as hard as he wanted to, but Patterson still cried out in pain and loosened his grip enough for Aaron to shove him off. He ran back towards the street, reaching for his phone to call for help. If he could just get around the corner, he’d be able to outrun Patterson. He was almost there. Almost free. 

A heavyweight slammed into his back, sending him to the ground. His phone flew out of his hands, landing a few feet away. The impact knocked the air of his lungs, but Aaron forced himself to recover quickly. He didn’t have much time. He had to keep moving. Keep trying. He threw his head back as he tried to get his hands underneath him for leverage. Patterson must have been expecting that because his head only met air. Aaron pushed off the ground and kicked back to dislodge him. It worked, but only slightly. Aaron was able to turn around just in time for Patterson to tackle him onto his back. Aaron put his hands out, trying to claw at his face when he saw the flash of a knife. 

Patterson battered his hands to the side. A slice of sharp pain opened across Aaron’s shoulder as a solid forearm slammed down on his chest, pinning him to the ground while the knife found a resting place against Aaron’s neck. Patterson rested his weight on Aaron’s hips, keeping him down. The man glared down at him with the fury of hell in his eyes. Aaron tried not to breathe too deeply, worried about the sharp blade against his skin. He could feel the blood from the deep cut on his arm spreading. The metallic smell weighed heavy on his tongue. 

“After everything I’ve done for you-” Patterson started. Aaron rolled his eyes. Not this again. 

“You didn’t do shit for me!” 

_Slap!_

The back of Patterson’s hand connected with Aaron’s cheek, forcing his head to the side from the force. Aaron turned back to give Patterson a dark glare. 

“You wouldn’t have a job if it weren’t for me,” Patterson argued. 

“That’s not fucking true. Maria got me the job.” 

“As if Wilkinson would ever listen to that bitch. He only hired you because _I_ told him to. If it wasn’t for me, you’d still be on the streets. The least you could be is grateful!” 

“Oh, get over yourself!” Aaron snapped. 

_Slap!_

“My grandfather hits harder than you,” Aaron sneered. 

Patterson’s fury only grew. Part of him was screaming at him to stop pushing Patterson’s buttons, but Aaron didn’t care anymore. He wasn’t going down without a fight. He wasn’t going to lie back and let any of this happen. Patterson suddenly slide the knife down from Aaron’s neck into his shirt, pulling the blade up to cut away the fabric. It wasn’t a clean cut, but the knife still tore away Aaron’s only protection. Aaron made a lunge for the knife. Patterson blocked his hands with his arm, slamming them down over Aaron’s head painfully as the knife rested right above Aaron’s heart. 

“I’m done talking,” Patterson muttered. “Done trying to make you see reason. I’m going to take what’s owed to me one way or another.” 

“I don’t owe you shit,” Aaron repeated, trying to kick his legs and twist his body to escape. Patterson ran the knife down Aaron’s exposed skin, pushing away the remains of his shirt. Aaron’s heart skipped a beat when Patterson reached for his jeans. He twisted even harder, pushing back against Patterson’s arm as hard as he could. The knife suddenly cut into the side of his hip. 

“Ah!” Aaron cried out as pain pulsed through his body, cutting off his movement. 

“Stop struggling,” Patterson snapped. 

“Burn in hell,” Aaron growled. He took a few deep breaths, then started to wiggle again. He focused on getting his knees up, hoping that if he planted his feet he’d be able to throw Patterson off. The man punched him this time. Striking his fist right into Aaron’s jaw. The pain made his head spin. His arm throbbed, the blood starting to cool. His side felt like it was on fire. Each hit only worsened his headache. But he had to push through. He had to. He just had to. Patterson slide back to sit on his knees before worked Aaron’s jeans open. Aaron pushed and wiggled more, earning another cut on his hip above the first. 

“Stop wiggling,” Patterson ordered as he shoved his hand inside Aaron’s pants, pushing them down his hips. 

“Stop,” Aaron begged, his voice cracking on the word. “Patterson stop!” 

“Quit whining, you fucking whore. Everyone already knows you’re fucking King. Might as well take a piece for myself.” 

“Get off me! Stop!” 

“Shut up, bitch!” 

“No! Fucking let me go!” 

_BANG!_

Aaron flinched at the gunshot, shutting his eyes as he waited for the pain. But he didn’t feel any worse, or better. He slowly opened his eyes to find Patterson staring towards the end of the alley. Aaron tilted his head back to try and see who it was. He saw two silhouettes, but couldn’t make out their details. 

“Let him go,” a familiar voice ordered. Alexander? It couldn’t be. Aaron’s mind had to be playing tricks on him. 

“Just keep walking,” Patterson suggested. 

“He said,” a deeper voice spoke up, “Let him go.” Washington? Now Aaron was sure that he was hearing things. There was no way Washington and Alexander would help him. 

“Fuck off. This isn’t any of your business,” Patterson snapped. 

“I’ll give you to the count of three,” the Washington sounding voice replied. Aaron heard the sound of a gun cocking. He looked back at Patterson, noticing how the man’s eyes had narrowed, his jaw clenched tightly. 

“One.” 

Patterson removed his hand from Aaron’s jeans and reached for his knife. 

“Two.” 

Aaron shut his eyes, praying to a God he hadn’t believed in for years for safety. 

“Th-” 

Patterson’s weight on his hips vanished before fake Washington even finished his count. 

“Aaron, get up,” the Alexander like voice said. Aaron crawled backwards a few inches before scrambling to his feet, never taking his eyes off Patterson. He fixed his pants, wrapping the remains of his shirt and hoodie around his body. He jumped, letting out a small noise when a hand touched his shoulder. He looked over to see that his mind hadn’t been playing tricks. It really was Washington and Alexander. Alexander’s hand on his shoulder. Washington, dressed in an impressive black suit that made him seem twice as big, had a gun pointed at Patterson with his finger on the trigger. Aaron glanced back at the man. At his attacker. Patterson’s fury hadn’t faded. His knuckles were white as he held his knife tightly. He kept his chin up as he stared down the barrel of Washington’s gun. A man acting brave in the face of death. 

“Don’t shoot him,” Aaron declared, the words falling out his mouth before his brain could catch up with all the thoughts in his head. Washington gave him a cold look, rasing a single eyebrow. 

“Why not? He attacked you.” 

“That’s not a reason for someone to die.” 

Something flashed through Washington’s eyes, but it was gone before Aaron could really get a feeling for what it meant. Alexander shook his head, spitting towards Patterson. 

“He’s one of King’s men,” he protested, pulling his own gun out of the back of his pants. “Getting rid of him only helps us.” 

“No!” 

Aaron had already gotten one person killed before. He wouldn’t be able to handle another. The ghost of Victor still haunted him. He still thought about how he could have done things different. Could have saved a life instead of leading a man to his murder. Washington stared at him for a long, tense moment before he slowly lowered his gun. 

“Alright.” 

“Washington, think about this,” Alexander pleaded. 

“Thomas! Caleb!” Washington ignored him and called for the men. Within seconds, Thomas and Caleb walked around the corner. Alexander huffed, putting his gun back and crossing his arms over his chest. Aaron hid behind Washington, trying to avoid the eyes of the other men as Washington waved his hand towards the alley. 

“Mr. Patterson appears to have lost his way. Help him get back on the right track,” Washington ordered. He looked back over at Aaron, reaching out to press at the cut on his arm. Aaron softly hissed and stepped away from the touch. 

“Give him some...extra lumps too.” 

“Lumps? You sound like a fucking cliche,” Thomas replied, though he gave Washington a wide, dark smile as Caleb headed down the alley towards Patterson. Patterson only got the chance to take a single step back before Caleb’s fist connected with his stomach. His groan of pain was satisfying, but Aaron still hadn’t changed his mind. 

“But don’t kill him,” Aaron demanded. Thomas turned his attention to Aaron, his own eyebrows raising. Aaron stared back with what he hoped was an look of indifference. Judging by the way Thomas’ smile turned into a smirk, he failed. 

“Don’t kill him,” Washington confirmed. 

“We’ll leave him kicking,” Thomas promised, giving Aaron a quick wink before he walked down the alley himself. 

“Great. Can we go now?” Alexander asked. Aaron almost made a joke about him sounding like a child, but now that the adrenaline had started to wear off he didn’t feel like making any jokes. A chill ran through his body, sending goosebumps along his arms. His face, arm, and hip hurt, plus his head and shoulders were sore. He didn’t even want to think about how many bruises he was going to have tomorrow. He also didn’t want to think about what might have happened if Alexander and Washington hadn’t shown up. 

A gentle hand found its way to his back and guided him away from the alley. Aaron stumbled, his legs feeling like jelly. Suddenly, a warm, soft weight landed on his shoulders and wrapped around his body. He sank into the feeling, shutting his eyes for a moment at the comforting sensation before he forced them to snap open again. He glanced down to find Washington’s suit jacket on his shoulders. 

“Let’s go,” Washington ordered, the hand on his back pushing him towards a black car at the curb. Alexander opened the rear door before climbing into the front. 

“Wait, what?” 

“You need someone to look at your injuries.” 

“No!” Aaron protested. “No doctors! I’m fin-” 

“I didn’t say a doctor,” Washington gently cut him off. “I said someone. I have a medical kit at my apartment. I don’t trust you going home right now. The shock is just starting to kick in and you shouldn’t be alone.” 

“But wh-” 

“I’ll explain when we get there,” Washington promised, giving Aaron the tiniest shove towards the car. “I won’t force you to get in, but I highly advise it.” 

Aaron glanced up and down the empty street. His mind wouldn’t stop thinking about the what ifs and even with Washington’s jacket Aaron still felt so cold and numb. Maria wasn’t coming home until tomorrow. Aaron would be completely alone, and God knows who else he might run into on his way home. He gave Washington the tiniest nod. The man’s face softened a bit as he gently guided Aaron closer to the car. Aaron climbed in, wrapping Washington’s jacket tighter around his shoulders. He turned his head to smell the collar while Washington walked around the car and climbed into the driver’s seat. 

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Alexander advise. 

“I do,” Washington assured him. 

Aaron leaned against the side of the car. The gentle hum of the engine, and the hushed whispers of Washington and Alexander gave him something to focus on. After a moment, he shut his eyes and tried to push all the thoughts out of his head. He told himself to only listen to the humming. Only focus on the soft noise. He slowed his breathing, got himself under control, just as the car to come to a stop. 

_SLAM!_

Alexander was in and out of the car before Aaron even opened his eyes. Washington climbed out next. Aaron watched him as he stood by the side of the car, clearly watching Alexander storm towards the end of the parking garage where an elevator waited. Washington sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly before he made his way around to Aaron’s door and opened it for him. 

“Let’s get you cleaned up,” Washington suggested. Aaron could only nod as he climbed out of the car. Washington led him towards the elevator. Aaron hoped he wasn’t walking into a trap. Judging by the stormy look on Alexander’s face, this hadn’t been part of any plan, but Aaron wasn’t so sure. He glanced at Washington, but the man’s face didn’t give anything away, plus he had pulled out his phone as a distraction. The realization hit Aaron like a blow to the chest. He padded at his pockets, remembering how his phone had flown out of his hand. 

“I have it,” Alexander replied, pulling Aaron’s phone out and handing it over. Aaron quickly snatched it back, looking it over. The screen had cracked, but it still had power. Aaron held it close like a lifesaver as the elevator door opened. Washington gently nudged Aaron inside after Alexander, who pressed a button for the 20th floor. Aaron watched the numbers climb and contemplated how his life turned into such a fucking mess.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings for this Chapter: Assault, Attempted Sexual Assault, Threats, Injury, and Violence


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! School got super busy. Then I started a new job and I'm even more busy now. Thankfully, I have some more written for this story and some others. 
> 
> I hope you all like it! 
> 
> I'll try to write more....but it'll be a little hard with my schedule.

“Try to hold still,” Washington suggested as he pressed a soaked cotton ball against the cut on his arm.

Aaron hissed at the feeling, but he kept his body perfectly still. It wasn’t the first time he was forced to sit still through an amateur medical session. His uncle hadn’t believed in taking Aaron to the hospital even when the cuts were deep enough to scar. Instead, he had simply been given over to his aunt for her to deal with the wounds. When he was younger, he had blamed her just as much as his uncle for never helping him, but when he got older, he realized she felt just as trapped as he did. He didn’t miss her, yet sometimes he did wonder what happened to her after all these years. He glanced around the large apartment to distract himself from Washington’s gentle touches.

Unlike King’s giant spotless penthouse, Washington’s apartment was smaller and more...homey. There were old magazines and newspapers scattered across the coffee table next to a couple of used mugs and a dirty plate. The couch and chairs showed signs of wearing from years of good use. The TV mounted on the wall was smaller than King’s, and below sat a dusty cabinet filled with DVDs, video games, and a game system. Some of the walls were a soft gray while others were a gentle golden yellow. The color combination only heightened the cozy atmosphere. There were a few paintings and some photos of a younger Washington hanging on one way, but Aaron avoided getting to close. He had been able to see into the kitchen when they first arrived and noticed the magnets stuck all over the fridge and the dishes in the sink along with some fancy appliances. He’d also gotten a quick look down the hall into the master bedroom before Alexander shut the door. The large bed had been left unmade and clothes left on the floor.

At first glance, no one would expect this to be the home of the second most powerful gang leader in the city. The whole place felt casual. Normal. Familiar. Aaron could easily pretend he was over at a friend’s place instead of stuck in his boss’ company. He repeatedly reminded himself not to get too comfortable. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down. He needed to keep his blank face on and never forget that he was in a lion’s den. One false move could spell disaster, but it was hard to keep up his act of indifference when his mind was racing. He could feel a meltdown on the edge of his thoughts. As soon as he thought he’d moved beyond what happened, something would trigger the memories again and Aaron would have to fight off his panic. He swore at times he could still feel Patterson’s hands on his body. Aaron suddenly jumped when Washington shifted his attention to the cuts on his hips. Washington pulled his hands away with an apologetic look.

“Sorry,” the man muttered, nudging the makeshift rag back into place. As soon as they got inside the apartment, Washington had handed Aaron several rags to press against the wounds to stop the bleeding. The one on his arm hadn’t lasted long before Washington got to work cleaning the wound, but since then the blood on his hip had dried and the rag was slightly stuck against his skin.

“It’s fine,” Aaron replied automatically. He reached down the peel the rag away, but Washington quickly grabbed his hand before he could.

“Let’s take a break” Washington suggested, already setting down the rest of his supplies before Aaron had a chance to answer.

“Sure.”

Washington stood up from the couch and made his way into the kitchen, leaving Aaron alone on the couch. He wrapped the blanket he’d been given tighter around his shoulders. Even though he was only missing his shirt, he still felt as if he was completely naked. Maybe it was because of the attention Washington was giving his body. It felt odd to be poked and prodded with such care. Washington took his job as a nurse so seriously that it left a weird feeling in Aaron’s stomach. He poked at the bandage on his arm as he waited for Washington to return, gritting his teeth against the tiny stabs of pain shooting through his body. The pain helped keep the memories at bay, kept him in the present rather than the past.

Washington came back into the room with two short glasses and a bottle of whiskey. Aaron couldn’t help but perk up at the sight. He could really use a drink right now. Part of him knew he shouldn’t, but he didn’t want to listen to that part of him right now. He wanted to numb his body and mind. Washington appeared to agree as he set the glasses down. He filled one and passed it to Aaron before preparing the other for himself. While Washington only took a sip of his, Aaron finished his drink off in one go. The alcohol burned his throat, but it was worth it for the warm feeling that spread through him a moment later.

Washington reached back towards the first aid kit to pull out some more bandages before turning towards Aaron again. He raised an eyebrow in question, eyeing Aaron’s now empty class, but he didn’t say a word. Aaron moved the blanket back out of the way to give Washington access to his hip. He held his breath as Washington took hold of the rag and slowly peeled it away. He paused halfway, grabbing a soaked cotton ball and apply it to the stuck areas to help ease the stickiness. By the time the rag was finally removed, Aaron could feel tears gathering in the corners of his eyes. He quickly wiped them away. He hadn’t cried yet and he didn’t plan on losing it now. Once the rag was gone, Washington grabbed more cotton balls and gently touched the cuts, cleaning the wounds and wiping away the remaining blood to see how deep they went.

“I don’t think these ones need stitches either,” Washington declared, pressing slightly harder than before to test. Aaron bit his lip to keep in the whine, “but you’ll need to keep a close eye on them for an infection.”

“Okay,” Aaron muttered, glancing at the whiskey bottle then his empty glass. “Can I pour myself another?”

Washington looked up at his face for a moment, then at the bottle before shrugging his shoulders. “Sure.”

Aaron quickly grabbed the bottle, being mindful not to push back against Washington’s hand too much and poured himself a large drink. Washington pressed his lips together and looked about ready to say something, but then the bedroom door opened and Alexander walked down the hall.

“You’re still not done?” Alexander wondered, still typing away on his phone.

“I don’t want to rush,” Washington replied, pulling away from Aaron to address the other man.

“I’m pretty sure Aaron can handle a tiny bit of pain.”

Aaron wasn’t sure if that was a compliment or an insult. Either way, he decided not to question it and downed his glass of whiskey. He quickly reached for the bottle again while Washington was distracted by Alexander. Aaron knew he should be listening, should be collecting information for King, but right now all he wanted to do was forget what happened and alcohol would do the trick. He could still count the number of times he’d gotten piss drunk on his fingers. Maria and Theo and all the others tried to keep him from using alcohol to cope, and for the most part, they had succeeded. Aaron usually only drank among friends. A glass of cheap wine with Maria, or a quick shot with Lafayette at his apartment. But there had still been a few times, like now, where Aaron grabbed the closest bottle of alcohol with a single goal in mind. To get so drunk he forgot who he was. It dulled the pain. Took away the agony for a few hours. Part of him, the part that was still trying so damn hard to be responsible, screamed at him to stop as he refilled the glass for the third time, but he quickly drowned out the voice with more whiskey.

“Text me what he says,” Washington ordered.

“I will. And once I’m done with Jefferson, I’ll check in with Monty and Herc at the ring,” Alexander replied. Aaron’s ears burned at the mention of the other man. It sent Aaron back to the alley, to that moment where he told Washington not to shoot Patterson. Part of him still couldn’t believe he stopped them. He didn’t owe Patterson shit. Not his body, not his word, yet he hadn’t been able to let the man die. He didn’t need another death on his hands. Still. He couldn’t help but wonder what Caleb and Thomas had done to him. Thomas said they would leave him kicking, whatever that meant. Would it be odd for him to ask for details?

“Remind Philip that he needs to stop by the club,” Washington added.

“He won’t. You know he won’t. Seeing his daughter messed him up.”

“I know, but if he doesn’t come back, then they’ll never be able to reconcile.”

“I don’t think she wants to reconcile with him,” Alexander argued. She? Aaron tilted his head as he tried to follow their conversation.

“Just tell him he needs to meet me there or something and we’ll see how it goes”

“Alright, alright, I will, but you better be ready for the blow out that follows when she starts swinging.”

“Peggy,” Aaron muttered to himself. Neither Washington, nor Alexander showed any sign of hearing him, but he still knew that’s who they had to be talking about. Peggy and Philip had run into each other, and then the man never returned. That was her father? The man who ignored her in favor of her older sisters? No wonder she’d been so angry when she saw him again.

“Is that everything...” Alexander trailed off.

“It is. Be careful and stay out of trouble,” Washington firmly warned. Alexander rolled his eyes at the words as he made his way towards the front door.

“I will. I’ll text you what I hear.”

“Good. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“See you,” Alexander called back before pausing halfway through the door. He took a step back and looked straight at Aaron with a gentle look. “I hope you feel better, Aaron.”

“Thanks?” Aaron replied in confusion. Alexander nodded, then vanished through the door, letting it close softly behind him.

“Let me finish fixing you up,” Washington suggested, picking up a couple of large bandages. Aaron shrugged off the blanket. He didn’t need it anymore. He wasn’t cold. He leaned back against the couch to give Washington the space he needed. He stared at the man’s face as he worked, still holding the bottle of whiskey and his empty glass.

“You’re weird,” he declared before taking a drink straight from the bottle. Washington gave him a startled look.

“How much have you had?” he wondered. Aaron looked at the bottle, then at the glass, then back at the bottle as he tried to figure out the answer to that question. Eventually, he shrugged. He lost count after four or five. He took another quick drink from the source.

“I think that’s enough,” Washington declared, reaching for the whiskey. Aaron quickly held it protectively against his chest.

“No.”

“Aaron-”

“Not unless you answer a question for me,” Aaron bargained. Washington raised an eyebrow and stare at him for a long time. Aaron’s cheek grew even warmer. He tried to stare back with the same fierce energy, but he got distracted by Washington’s eyes. He had really nice eyes. And nice lips. And strong shoulders. And he was so tall-

“What’s the question?” Washington wondered, cutting off Aaron’s trail of thoughts about Washington's body.

“Ummm.”

Shit. He hadn’t actually had a question to ask. He’d just been trying to buy time in hopes that Washington would forget about the bottle. He reached down towards the cuts and let out a soft whimper. Washington’s attention shifted back to his work again. Aaron quickly snuck another drink of whiskey.

“Aaron, that’s enough,” Washington ordered, pressing a bandage over one of the cut.

“You haven’t asked anyone for a dance. Why haven’t you asked? We’ve all talked about it. Everyone’s waiting to see who goes first. Wilkinson had everyone dance for him. Multiple times. Some more than others. He had his favorites. I was his favorite but then something happened and I wasn’t anymore. But you haven’t asked anyone. Which is confusing. You’re in charge of the strip club. That means you get free dances. But you haven’t gotten a dance yet,” Aaron rambled. There was a question in there somewhere right? Washington was quiet as he finished placing a second bandage over the cut. He pulled away from Aaron and gave him an unreadable look. Aaron reached for the blanket and pulled it around himself again, using it as an armor against Washington’s stare.

“Did he pay you?” Washington wondered.

“Who?”

“Wilkinson. When you danced for him did he pay you?”

“No. He was the boss. He doesn’t have to pay,” Aaron replied. At least he didn’t remember Wilkinson paying him. “He said that he was testing us. Making sure we were good enough to work at the club.”

“So you couldn’t refuse?”

“No. No one ever tried.”

"That's not very fair," Washington pointed out.

Aaron only shrugged. He knew that. Nothing Wilkinson did was ever fair, but what could they do? They needed their jobs, and none of them had wanted to be on the receiving end of Wilkinson's anger. They'd seen what could happen when Wilkinson was in a bad mood. Bruises and cut hours and higher quotas. And sometimes, just because he could, Wilkinson would punish all of them for a single person's mistake just to remind them all about how much power he had over them. In all the time Aaron had been there, only one person had quit because of Wilkinson's actions. Aaron still didn't know what happened to her.

"That's why I haven't asked," Washington answered as he started cleaning up the medical supplies.

"What?"

"It's not fair for me to ask for any of you to dance for me. As you said, I'm in charge, which means that no one would feel like they could refuse and I don't want that. I don't want to force any of you to do something you don't want to do."

"Why not?"

"Because it's wrong."

"But you’re in charge. You get to make the rules."

"The more I hear about Wilkinson, the less sad I am about killing him."

"No one's sad that he's dead," Aaron declared. "He was a dick, but you're weird and that's scary."

"I'm weird because I won't take advantage of my position?" Washington asked, scowling at the idea.

Aaron nodded. "Yes."

"Aaron, not everyone in the world is as much of a dick as Wilkinson."

"That's debatable," Aaron replied, taking another drink.

"And that's enough of that," Washington declared, reaching for the bottle again.

"Wait, wait! I have another question."

"You've already asked five."

"No, I haven't!"

"Yes, you have."

Aaron paused, thinking back over their conversation and trying to count how many questions he'd asked. His brain was too sluggish to remember everything, but he at least knew that he'd asked at least one, so maybe Washington was right.

"Just one more," he tried. Washington did not look amused, the scowl still present on his face. Aaron put on his best innocent face, battling his eyelash and sticking out his bottom lip just right.

"One more," Washington finally agreed. Aaron took a moment to think of a good question.

"What if I want to dance for you?"

The question slipped from his lips before his brain could catch up. Washington gave him a startled look, clearly caught off guard. Aaron took his chance to sneak another drink of whiskey while Washington tried to recover. A large hand wrapped around the neck of the bottle, pulling it away from Aaron's lips and ripping it from his hand. He placed it down on the table with a heavy thud. Aaron pouted and shot Washington an annoyed look, even sticking out his tongue to show his true feelings.

"Getting drunk won't help you," Washington said.

"You don't know that," Aaron snapped.

"I do."

"No, you don't."

"I do."

"No, you don't."

"I do."

"No-"

"Aaron," Washington cut him off, "It won't change what happened."

The words echoed in Aaron's mind, bringing up the memories of what had happened. The memories Aaron had been trying to drown. The tears gathered quicker than before, but Aaron shoved his fingers into his eyes to hold them back, ducking his head to give him a chance to pull himself together.

"You didn't answer my question," he muttered.

"Aaron-"

"What if I wanted to dance for you? You won't even have to pay me," he repeated, shrugging off the blanket all the way and lower his fingers to look over at the man. He stared at Washington with pure intent, noticing how the man was struggling to speak, his mouth opening and closing as he thought about his response. Aaron saw an opening and took it. He moved quickly, sliding into Washington's lap and pushing on his shoulders to press him back against the couch. He leaned over to whisper in Washington's ear.

"I'm very good," Aaron promised. "Everyone tells me I'm impressive. I'm sure Monty has told you about me. He loves the way I dance. And Arnold got rock hard when I danced for him. Let me show you."

"I think you sh-"

"Just let me-" He started to slowly grind forward but Washington's hands suddenly grabbed his hips and forced him off his lap. Aaron fell back onto the couch. Before he could react, Washington stood up from his seat and stalked away.

"Wait!" Aaron called as he disappeared down the hallway.

_SLAM!_

The sound echoed through the apartment. A cold chill ran down Aaron's bareback. Washington’s rejection stung in a way he couldn’t explain. He glanced around the room helplessly until his eyes landed on the bottle of whiskey sitting on the table. He glanced at the hallway, then back at the bottle. He shouldn’t. Washington was right. It wouldn’t help, but Washington wasn’t here anymore. Aaron reached out and grabbed the bottle again. He could barely taste the whiskey now, but the warmth that spread through his body fought off the cold rejection and slowed his thoughts. He drank and drank and drank until the glass bottle was completely empty. He placed it back on the table in the same spot as before, then glanced around the room again.

Maybe he should go home. There was really no reason for him to stay. His injuries were taken care of and Washington clearly didn’t want him around. Hell, Aaron wasn’t even in pain anymore. He could totally get home by himself. He just needed to get up. It took him a couple of tries to get his feet and legs to listen, but eventually, he was able to push himself up off the couch. He tried to make his way to the door; however, after only a few steps the world started to tilt. He put his arms out to balance himself, but it wasn’t enough. He was going to fall. He quickly sat down on the floor to save himself. A little too quickly judging by the way his stomach lunged. He was so tired. He ran a hand over his chest. What happened to his shirt again? Where was he going? He looked around the room as he tried to figure out what was going on. He should find his phone and call Maria. He wanted to hear her voice. He heard a series of footsteps and looked up to see Washington looking down at him with an angry expression.

Dread overtook Aaron’s body. He knew what that look meant. He’d done something wrong. He messed up, but he couldn’t remember what he’d done. He tried to figure it out, tried to explain that he was sorry, but his tongue felt too big for his mouth. He made a feeble attempt to stand up, yet he couldn’t get his legs to listen. A hand shot out towards him. Aaron dropped back and raised his hands to cover his face.

“No,” Aaron begged. “I’m sorry! Please! Please, don’t!” The hand didn’t strike him. Instead, it landed on his back and softly rubbed in between his shoulders. He lowered his hands to find Washington’s face closer then it’d been before.

“It’s alright,” a soft voice assured him. “It’s okay. Let’s get you to bed.” Strong arms grabbed him gently and helped him up from the ground. He struggled to get his feet underneath him. His knees felt like jelly. He couldn’t make them stop shaking and his head was spinning like a top. Suddenly, his feet were no longer on the ground. His head was pressed against a warm, broad chest and arm supported his legs underneath his knees.

“Oh,” he softly muttered, leaning into the warmth. “Thank you.”

“I told you not to drink anymore,” Washington’s low voice said. Aaron smiled a bit at the way the man’s chest rumbled. It sounded funny. He nodded his head at the words, unsure what he was agreeing to. It just felt like the right thing to do. The world around him changed. It got dark and he was placed on something soft. He glanced around in confusion, reaching out to find a pillow. A bed. He was on a bed. Panic spread through his mind. This wasn’t what he wanted. He wasn’t ready. He didn’t want to do this.

“No, no, no,” he pleaded, trying to climb out. “I don’t want to.”

“Aaron,” Washington replied, “Aaron, calm down.”

“Don’t touch me! Stop! Please, I don’t want to-” The tears came so suddenly that Aaron couldn't do anything to stop them. A loud, wet sob left his mouth and the gates were thrown open. All the fear and pain he’d been trying to keep inside came flooding out of him all at once. He didn’t want to have sex. He didn’t want this. Flashes of Patterson ran through his mind. The memory of pain and helplessness returned. Fear gripped his throat. He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t breathe! Strong arms wrapped around his body and pulled him against a firm chest. Hands ran up and down his back, rubbing circles here and there as the sobs shook his body.

“Breathe with me,” Washington commanded. “Aaron, take deep breaths. You have to calm down. You need to breathe with me.” It took Aaron a few tries before he was able to follow Washington’s breathing pattern. The sobs and tears didn’t stop.

“You’re okay,” Washington assured him. “You’re safe. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“I didn’t want him to touch me,” Aaron cried, shaking his head, “I didn’t-”

“Shhh. I know. I know.”

The tears just wouldn’t stop. Aaron tried and tried and tried to get himself under control, but he couldn’t do it. He’d felt like he’d been crying forever. He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself to try and stay warm. A blanket appeared out of nowhere. Washington wrapped it around his shoulders. The arms tried to push him back towards the bed, but he quickly grabbed onto Washington’s shirt and held on for dear life.

“Don’t,” he begged. “Don’t leave. What if-”

“I’m not leaving,” Washington promised. “I promise. Just lay down.” The hands kept rubbing over his back and sides, cooling his fears to the point that he felt safe enough to lay back on the bed. The hands moved to rest on his chest.

“Relax. Go to sleep,” a soft voice suggested.

“Don’t go.”

“I’m not. I’ll be right here, but you need to relax. Close your eyes.”

“Okay.”

“You actually have to close them.”

“Oh.”

He shut his eyes, reaching up with his own hand to take hold of one of the larger ones on his chest. Strong fingers intertwined with his own.

“I’m scared,” he confessed, opening his eyes again. “What if he comes back? What if he tries to find me?”

“He can’t get you here. I won’t let him.”

“But what if it’s King?”

“What?”

“What if King comes? Will you stop him too?” Aaron wondered as King’s hard eyes appeared in his mind. He shivered in fear.

“Why would he come?” Washington asked in confusion.

“He always trying to get me in bed,” Aaron explained, shaking his head in dismay, “and I keep saying no but he's going to get mad soon and I don’t know what I’m gonna do. Don’t let him come in.”

“I won’t.”

“But-”

“Shhhh. Close your eyes.” After a moment, Aaron obeyed. “Take a deep breath. Hold it. Breathe out. Again. Good job. Breathe in. Hold.” Aaron followed each and every instruction until his breathing slowed. At some point, he wasn’t sure when, his mind started to drift and his grip on the hand loosened as he fell into a heavy slumber.

 

 

* * *

 

 

Aaron slowly woke up the next morning to a world of pain and aches. His head felt like a steam roller had crushed it. His shoulder and hip throbbed with each pulse of his heart. Both sides of his face hurt in an all too familiar way. He opened his eyes a bit, taking in his surroundings. Slowly, the events from the night before started coming back to him, then they all slammed into him at once. Patterson. The Alley. A gunshot. Alexander. Washington. The gentle touches against his skin. Drinking to make the pain go away. Drinking to avoid the way Washington looked at him. Him climbing into Washington’s lap and offering to dance. The rest of the night got blurry after that. He let out a groan, throwing an arm over his face to hide himself from the world. Washington probably thought he was an idiot. He was an idiot. He tried to remember what happened after Washington had stormed away, but the memories were too fuzzy and he couldn’t recall the details besides feeling warm then scared right before he drifted asleep.

Aaron slowly lowered his arm, grateful that the blinds on the window kept out most of the morning sunlight. It gave his eyes time to adjust and prevented his headache from getting any worse. He pushed himself up from the bed, taking a moment to look around the room. This bedroom wasn’t used that often judging by how clean it was. Besides the sheets and blankets on the bed and a tall glass of water on the side table, there were no other signs of life. Aaron reached for the water, sniffing it first before taking a small sip. It seemed normal. He told himself to take it slow, but his body knew what it needed and before long the glass was empty, but Aaron’s throat still felt like a desert. He slowly climbed out of bed and made his way to the door.

He tried his best to keep his movements light and quiet, whining at every creak of the floorboards. He opened the door as slowly and silently as possible, glancing up and down the hall first. The door to Washington’s bedroom was closed while the bathroom door was wide open. Aaron really should use the bathroom, but he also wanted to get the hell out of Washington’s apartment before the man woke up. He weighed the pros and cons of both paths before his desire to escape won the battle. He slipped through the door and stealthed his way down the hall, freezing at every little noise.

Thankfully, luck was on his side this time. The door to Washington’s bedroom remained close despite the creaks and moans of the floor underneath his feet. Aaron swiftly made his way into the living room. He grabbed the blanket from last night off the couch, wrapping it around his bare shoulders. He wished he knew where his shirt was. It may have been torn, but it still would be better than this. Aaon spared one more look over his shoulder at the closed door as he made his way towards the front door. Suddenly, he ran straight into a solid form. He nearly stumbled backwards but caught himself just in time. Aaron cursed every deity he could think of off the top of his head before he turned back to find Washington staring at him with one eyebrow raised.

“You’re awake,” Washington noted. Aaron nodded, unable to find any words. There went his plan to sneak out before Washington woke up.

“Perfect. I made breakfast.”

Without another word, the man turned and walked towards the kitchen. Aaron reached up and rubbed his eyes, believing that he had to be dreaming. Was Washington, the second most powerful man in the city, wearing Disney ‘Hercules’ themed pyjama pants? Aaron had to be seeing things. His eyes had to be playing tricks. Aaron shook his head, glancing over his shoulder at the closed bedroom door.

“Fuck my fucking life,” he muttered to himself. This wasn’t fair.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to post this sooner, but....I forgot. Whoops! On the bright side, I wrote a really quick nsfw oneshot that will be posted this weekend! So yay!! 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you all like this chapter. Also, I will be trying to reply to all comments from now on. It's not always easy because usually all I want to do is scream when I read your kinds words, but I'll try to be more...understandable in my replies. 
> 
> Thank you!

“There you go,” Washington declared, setting a plate of eggs in front of Aaron next to his mug of coffee and bowl of cut banana. Aaron stared at the food, still trying to get over his shock. His eyes hadn’t been playing tricks on him. Washington _was_ wearing Hercules themed pyjama pants along with a black, faded band shirt. The man looked relaxed and...normal. It was a good look on him. A very good look. Aaron mentally kicked himself for even having such a thought. He did not need to go around thinking about how handsome Washington was. He just didn’t. Washington had given Aaron a glass of water as soon as he walked into the kitchen, then ordered Aaron to take a seat while he finished making breakfast, which consisted of fresh fruit, eggs, toast, and coffee.

Aaron didn’t know what to think about all this. It was nice of Washington to do this for him, but Aaron still couldn’t figure out the man’s alternative motive. Nothing came for free. Washington had to want something in return, but he hadn’t mentioned it yet and Aaron couldn’t figure out what the man could possibly want. Aaron had already offered himself last night and Washington had made it very clear that wasn’t what he wanted, at least not from Aaron. He didn’t have any information about King, nor was he going to give Washington more than a dance. What else could it be? Not money. That’s for sure. He needed to figure it out, get ahead in the game. Washington suddenly pushed the plate of eggs a little closer, pulling Aaron out of his head. 

“Eat,” Washington ordered. Aaron obediently picked up the fork and took a small bite. His mouth rejoiced at the food while his stomach already started begging for more. He quickly dived in, barely taking a moment to chew as he cleared the plate. He grabbed the bowl of banana next just as Washington set a bottle of pain medication down next to his coffee. 

“For your head and stuff,” he offered. Aaron nodded, reaching for the bottle and shaking out two pills. He popped them into his mouth, then pressed one hand over the bandages on his hips. He needed to see Martha about them. She’d know what to do. Hopefully, Laf would know how to cover them up with makeup. No one wanted a dance from a bleeding stripper. He wondered if his face was bruised. He didn’t think to check in the mirror earlier, more focused on leaving than worrying about his injuries. Washington finished making his own plate of eggs and started to eat, his eyes barely leaving Aaron for more than a few seconds. The attention made Aaron uncomfortable. He wrapped the blanket tighter around his shoulders and focused on the fruit, taking slower bites now in hopes that Washington would get bored of staring and move on. 

“I...” Washington spoke up only to paused right away. Aaron glanced at him for a second, noticing that he looked rather conflicted. Like he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure he should say it. 

“I’m sorry about last night,” Aaron muttered. “Sorry about...everything.” He waved his hand in the air for emphasis. “All the drama.” 

“It’s not drama,” Washington quickly protested. Aaron shrugged. He’s heard that lie before. 

“Still. Sorry.” 

“It’s okay.” 

Aaron only nodded in response. It wasn’t okay, but he knew better than to keep arguing about it. Washington probably thought he was a drunk idiot. He _was_ a drunk idiot. Probably made a complete fool of himself. He still couldn’t quite figure out how he got from the living room into the guest bedroom and he really wished he could. He’d been tucked in, which suggested that he hadn’t wandered in there by himself. Had Alexander come back? Had Washington helped him? If he knew, then he’d know how much of a fool he’d been and it’d be easier to apologize. 

“I wanted to...I...” Washington struggled again with his words. Aaron reached for his coffee and took a small sip as he waited. The food and coffee did help ease his headache and calmed his stomach. He would give Washington credit for that. “I want to ask you something.” 

“Okay.” 

“But don’t feel like you have to answer.” 

“Okay?” Aaron repeated, tilting his head to the side as he stared at the other man. Washington opened and closed his mouth a few times before sighing. He reached up to rub the back of his neck. This didn’t look good. What was so bad that Washington couldn't even ask about it? What had Aaron done?

“Has King tried to...Has he-Fuck.” 

“Just spit it out,” Aaron snapped. He couldn't take waiting any longer. Whatever it was, Aaron just wanted Washington to say it instead of torturing him. 

“Has King tried to force you to have sex with him?” Washington rushed the words out so quickly that Aaron almost didn’t understand. His eyes widened as the words finally clicked in his head. 

“No,” Aaron said right away, whining at the way Washington’s eyes turned dark. The man stood up straight and his jaw went tense. Aaron answered a little too quickly for it to seem like the truth even though it was. He quickly backtracked. “He hasn’t. I swear. He’s asked about stuff. Hinted at it, but he always listens when I turn him down.” 

“But you’re worried? Worried that one day he won’t listen?” Washington wondered. Aaron’s heart skipped a beat. 

“How did...” How the fuck did Washington know that? Sure, that was a fear Aaron thought about now and again. It was only a matter of time before King got sick of Aaron saying no. He wasn’t sure if King would just drop him, or if the man would push Aaron into bed. Aaron tried not to think about it too often. It made him feel sick. Made the fear in his stomach grow to an uncomfortable level. But how did Washington know? 

“You mentioned it last night,” Washington quietly explained, looking just as uncomfortable as before. “You said you didn’t want him to come. That one day he’ll get mad about you saying no all the time and you’re not sure what you’ll do then.” 

“I was drunk. I didn’t know what I was talking about,” Aaron quickly insisted. Fuck, what else had he told Washington? What other secrets had he given away? He stared down at his coffee, avoiding the look of pity Washington was giving him. He didn’t need fucking pity. He didn’t need to be saved or protected. He could take care of himself. 

“I think we should talk about the deal we made,” Washington suggested his voice softer than before as if Aaron was a wild animal who needed to be coddled. 

“Did I say anything else?” Aaron asked instead. Judging by the look on Washington’s face, he already knew the answer, but he needed to know the details. Needed to be on the same playing field as Washington. Right now he didn’t have all the right cards, and he didn’t fucking like it. 

“Yes.” 

“What did I say?” 

“Aaron-” 

“Tell me,” he begged, setting his coffee down a little too forcefully. 

The pity in Washington’s eyes faded into annoyance. Good. That was better. He didn’t fucking want Washington’s stupid fake pity. He’d seen how the man acted around them. His nose in the air like he was better, like he wasn’t a criminal who controlled half the city. Maybe he wasn’t as harsh as Wilkinson had been, but he still had the same stupid ego. Unfortunately, the annoyance faded too quickly and the pitiful look came back full force. 

“You panicked when I took you into the guest room,” Washington recounted. That answered Aaron’s previous concern. “You thought I was trying to have sex with you. You started talking about how you didn’t want to do that.” He reached for his own mug of coffee, holding it tightly in his hands. “It took a while for you to calm down, but then you wouldn’t let me leave.” 

“What do you mean I wouldn’t let you leave?”

“You were scared about Patterson breaking in or something like that. You asked me to stay. Then you mentioned that King might try to come too.” 

“Which makes absolutely no sense,” Aaron replied. “King would never come here and your men took care of Patterson. I was just drunk and out of it. I didn’t know what I was saying. It’s really not a big deal.” Washington only stared at him with the same stupid look. Aaron wanted to throw something at him. Anything to get rid of that fucking look. He hated it. He hated it so much. 

“You’re scared of him,” Washington stated. 

“What?” 

“You’re scared of King.” 

“Yeah, no shit,” Aaron snapped loudly. “Everyone’s scared of him. Have you seen the things he’s done? Only idiots stand up to him.” 

“Idiots like me?” 

“Especially idiots like you. I still can’t believe you attacked him,” Aaron confessed. “No one has been that dumb in years, yet here you are. Doing what no one else would ever even imagine doing themselves.” 

“Why not?” Washington asked. 

“Because it’s stupid,” he declared. “He’s going to come for you. For all of you. And he’ll win. He always wins.” 

“I know.” 

“Then why the fuck are you doing this?” 

“Because I’m tired of him winning,” Washington declared, a look of pure rage and frustration taking over his face. Aaron had never seen him so expressive before. “I’m tired of watching him destroy countless lives without a single fucking care in the world. He ruins everything and everyone he touches. He’s a fucking monster and I’m going to stop him. I’m doing to do something.” 

“Why you?” 

“Because.” 

“That’s not a fucking reason.” 

“I don’t need to give you a reason,” Washington argued. 

“Coward,” Aaron sneered, trying to get under his skin enough for him to give away his secrets. 

“Nice try, but I’m not twelve.” 

“Could have fooled me,” He muttered to himself as he picked up his coffee again and took a long sip. Washington narrowed his eyes at him, but still, he didn’t give in. Damn it. He was a hard one to crack. Aaron lowered the mug, but before he could try again, Washington made an offer. 

“I’ll answer your question if you answer one of mine.” 

“How do I know you won’t lie?” Aaron wondered. 

“I could ask you the same thing,” Washington challenged. Aaron made a face, pressing his lips together and scowling at the words. It wasn’t a great idea. He didn’t know what Washington wanted to ask, though he did have some ideas. He could try to ask before making the deal, but he wasn’t sure Washington would want to give up his advantage. He let out a sigh and offered up his pinky. 

“I promise to tell the truth,” he stated, his voice like iron. Might as well take the chance. Roll the dice and see where they landed. Washington looked at his pinky finger in confusion. It took a moment for him to figure it out, then a soft smile appeared on his face and suddenly he looked years younger. Aaron tried to ignore the way his stomach jumped at the sight. Washington reached out and hooked his pinky around Aaron’s. 

“I promise to tell the truth,” Washington echoed his words. “And I’ll go first.” 

“I was about to suggest that.” 

“I’m sure you were.” 

Aaron didn’t bother replying to that comment. Instead, he just took another bite of banana while he stared at Washington, waiting for him to finally answer his question. Washington took a few sips of his coffee and some bites of his own plate before he stood up straighter. There was a haunted look in his eyes, one that didn’t go away even when Washington pulled his shoulders back. 

“I used to work for him,” Washington said. “I used to be one of King’s top men. It’s not where I wanted to end up. I honestly never imagined I’d work for a man like him. My father...was part of King’s inner circles. He’d worked for King’s father and I guess our families went way back. Growing up, I had no idea what my father was really doing. I thought he was a businessman. Just a normal guy working hard for his family. I didn’t know he’d been grooming my older brother to take over for him. I didn’t know how dirty his hands were. How horrible he was.” Aaron felt the anger coming off Washington at the memory of his father. Clearly, there was a lot of love lost between the two of them. Washington took a deep breath, the anger fading into something more raw and heartbreaking as he went on. 

“A few days after I graduated high school before I got to leave for college, before I got to start my life, my brother was shot. Lawrence was a great brother. He wanted me to go away. Wanted me to get out of the city and have a real chance at life. Away from the gangs and the power struggle. He was always trying to protect me. Trying to keep me safe and...and he died before I could get to the hospital. I never got to say goodbye,” Washington’s voice wavered at the statement. Aaron turned his eyes away to give the man some level of privacy for his pain. A wound like that never healed. 

“My father mourned for a few days, then turned his sights on me. Suddenly, I was the one who had to carry my family’s legacy on my shoulders, a legacy I didn’t even know exist until the day they buried my brother in the ground. I knew...I knew what we were doing was wrong from the first moment, but it was my family and I trusted my father to take care of me, to guide me on the right path. I was stupid to believe that. My father only cared about power. As for my mother, she had a deep love of wealth. A love she never showed for me. They didn’t care about right or wrong as long as they got to keep their lifestyle. Keep their control over the city.” The anger had returned, but there was something else underneath the tone. A longing. Longing for a real family, one who had cared and done right by him. Maybe Aaron and Washington weren’t as different after all. Aaron quickly shoved the idea out of his head as soon as he thought of it. 

“I tried to...to have limits. I had lines I never wanted to cross, things I never wanted to do, and for the few couple years, I was okay. I was able to lie low, do my job, make my parents proud and prove myself to King enough that he didn’t feel the need to watch over me. But...But then my father passed when I was twenty-eight. And it was all on me to take his place in King’s circle. My mother left in a hurry with all the money she could get her hands on. I was on my own. Monty and Philip, they were part of the inner circle too, they became my mentors. Stopped me from losing myself in the darkness of power and money. I don’t know where I’d be without them,” Washington confessed, shaking his head as he rubbed his eyes. 

“But with my father gone, there was no one else answering to King but me. I thought...I foolishly fucking thought he had limits like me. That there were lines even he wouldn’t cross, but I learned the hard way that King is a fucking monster who doesn’t believe in limits. He...he figured out that I was working through loopholes, avoiding some things I didn't want to do. He told me, ordered me to do something I didn’t want to do. It was me or them. And...And I did it. I was a coward and I let someone else pay the price. It just got worse after that. Anyone who stood in King’s way, he’d do what you said. He tears them down. Destroys their lives. Not just theirs, but everyone they know and love. Even members of his own circle. If you stepped out of line, if you tried to protest, you were gone. We were always waiting for the knife to drop. Always watching each other. Monty and Philip were the only people I trusted, until...” 

Washington paused, his eyes fading as he got caught up in a memory. Aaron glanced at the empty bar stool next to him and slowly pushed it out from the counter. Washington snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of the chair loudly scraping against the floor. 

“Sit down,” Aaron suggested. Washington stared at him for a moment before he picked up his plate and moved around the bar. 

“You can’t just leave King’s employment. Not unless it’s in a body bag. I wanted to get out, but I wanted to get out with my life and I wasn’t the only one. Monty and Philip, they wanted out too so we came up with a plan and we got lucky. We made some good friends that were able to help us fake our deaths. Then we ran. We ran far, far away to where we knew we’d be safe. We made names for ourselves in other cities, built our own empires differently. From the ground up so the foundation was rock solid. We helped people and only hurt those who deserved it. But then...then I kept hearing his name. Kept hearing stories about what was happening here. Whispers that people would say on the streets as if they were scared saying King’s name would make him appear. Out there he’s a phantom. A ghost story that gangs pass from one to another, but here the devil is alive and thriving and I hated it. I hated it so much that I thought about what I’d do if I had enough power. So I took my time and gained enough power. Worked with enough people until I had an army, and I came back.” 

He paused again, reaching for his mug and taking a long slow sip. He shook his head as he set the mug down, running a hand over his bald head. Aaron watched him, trying to imagine if he’d ever come back. Probably not. If he got out of this city, nothing in the world would bring him back. Not even stories about King. 

“So yours is a noble cause,” Aaron muttered. 

“I wouldn’t say noble. Selfish is probably a better word. It’s revenge. I probably would have been able to stay away if he hadn’t...He killed some of my friends after I left. They were good people. Innocent people who didn’t deserve to die. And I couldn’t stop thinking about how many people had been lost the same way. Someone had to take a stand. Someone had to do something.” 

“And that someone was you?” 

“I knew his suppliers. I knew his men’s strategies. I had insider information that I could use against them. And I had time to plan. And it took a lot of time. And even more fucking patience. Plus some, not so clean connection but finally, I had enough supplies and manpower to take on that devil. I put spies on the inside, figured out who wanted a safe way out and offered them one. When it came time to flip the switch and take control, I had more than enough men and weapons. I honestly wish it hadn’t gotten so bloody. Killing isn’t...I don’t like doing it, but sometimes it’s the only way in cases like this. And maybe you’re right. Maybe it was foolish and stupid, but I couldn’t just walk away without trying to hurt King the same way. I used to be scared of death, but now-now so much. At least this way I might die fighting for a better cause than dying for a bloodthirsty madman.” 

“And what are you going to do after he’s dead?” 

“I honestly haven’t thought that far,” Washington confessed, but then he shook his head. “That’s a lie. I’ve dreamt about what the world will be like without him. Without his drug pushing and weapons sales. Without all the bloodshed and fear. But I don’t know what _I’ll_ do. Maybe I’ll just try to keep the peace. Take out drug dealers. Stop all the illegal weapons.” 

“So you’re robin hood?” Aaron suggested. Washington gave him a weak smile. 

“Maybe? That type of stuff...it fuels the violence. Addiction leads to shit which just makes things worse and worse. Cut that out. Help people. And violence drops. It’ll never fully goes away, but it gets better.” 

“You aren’t about drug running?” 

“Fuck no. That’s why I told all of you not to use while on the job. I don’t want it in the club at all. Okay, that’s not completely true. Weed I can live with, but not the other stuff,” Washington replied. 

“Then how do you make money?” Aaron wondered. “It’s not through us. That’s for sure.” 

“That’s like your seventh question so far, right?” Washington asked. Aaron paused, thinking back. It was not seven. It was...

“It was four,” he counted. 

“Five,” Washington corrected him. 

“Whatever. Not seven.” 

“I think it’s time I ask my own question,” Washington suggested, turning his body towards Aaron. Aaron felt his stomach flip as his throat got tight. He could do this. He could. Whatever Washington asked, Aaron could handle. He just needed to breathe and focus. Breathe and focus. 

“Why did you take the deal?” 

“What?” 

“Why did you agree to spy on King?” 

“Oh. For the money,” Aaron answered, crossing his arms over his chest and shrugging his shoulders. Wasn’t that already obvious? 

“That’s it?” 

“Do I need another reason?” 

“I just thought....” Washington trailed off. 

“Not everyone is as noble as you. I don’t like King as much as the next person. When he walked into the club for the first time, I was terrified, but his attention was on me and I wasn’t going to try to just walk away. You don’t do that to a man like him. A man who might snap at any moment. When you offer the deal, I was going to say no until you offered the money. That’s the part that convinced me. What I’m doing is fucking dangerous, but it’s worth it in the end.” 

“Why? Why is it worth it?” 

“You remember my condition? What you’ll do if I end up dead?” 

“Yes. Maria, that’s her name right?” Aaron nodded. “If you....die, then I’ll give her $100,000. I wondered about that when you first brought it up.” 

“I owe Maria my life. She helped me when no one else would. She gave me a home. Food. Clothes. Got me a job. And she didn’t ask for anything besides kindness in return. I don’t know where I’d be without her. My dream....our dream is to get out of this city. To find a place where we can start over, but that’s not easy given the amount of debt we both have. Maria...” Aaron trailed off, giving Washington a pointed look. He wasn’t sure how much he could really tell the man. Didn’t know if he could really trust him. 

“She has a daughter,” Washington said, surprising Aaron. “Martha mentioned it to me a while ago. I told Maria she wouldn’t be punished if she had to miss work for her daughter. Family comes first.” Aaron narrowed his eyes and pressed his lips together. 

“How noble of you,” he mentioned again. Washington shook his head. 

“Children need their parents. Good parents like Maria. I honestly offered her the bare minimum. I wish I could do more. Maybe I can...” There was a spark of an idea in his eyes. Aaron felt his frown fade a bit at the sight. He didn’t understand Washington. He probably never would. How could one man care so much about people he didn’t really know? How had the world not twisted this man into a cold-hearted person the way it had so many others? Maybe Aaron shouldn’t be judging. He had a habit of doing the same things, but still. He knew the people he was helping. They were his family. The strippers, Aaron, they were all but strangers to Washington still, yet he was working so hard to help them any way he could. It didn’t make sense. What did Washington get from all of this? Power? Glory? 

“You were talking about the debt you have,” Washington returned to the previous point. Aaron cursed. He’d been hoping Washington would forget and move on. Not so lucky apparently. Today was really just not his day. 

“A lot. That’s the short answer. I have a lot of debt. Some of it isn’t mine. Some of it’s Maria’s, but we’re a team and I’m going to help her as long as she’ll let me. I’ll probably help her even if she doesn’t want me too. We’re making payments, trying to get our credit up so we can get out of here, but we have other bills to pay and then Susan, Maria’s daughter, that’s her name, to take care of. Plus...plus when we leave I want us to have a real fresh start. I want us to have enough money to get a house and look for jobs. Enough that maybe Maria can go to college. Get Susan into the best school in town. We’ll be safe and okay. But all that takes money. You offered the best available source for that.” 

“Just how much do you need?” 

“A lot.” 

“Aaron-” 

“Don’t. I don’t need your charity. I’m handling it. We’re handling it.” 

“By risking your life,” Washington argued. 

“Bigger risk, bigger reward. I already did the math. I already figured out everything. I can do this. I want to do this,” Aaron declared. He tried to keep his voice from breaking, tried to show that he wasn’t affected by the danger, even though he was. It was worth it. He was handling it. He could do this. He was being careful and he only needed to do this a few more times before he had more than enough to show Maria. They’d erase their debt in one swoop and run away from this city without looking back. Hopefully. 

“But-”

“Don’t you dare try to back out now,” Aaron snapped. “I’m close to getting something good out of him. I know it. And if I can get you the right information, then it’ll help your cause.” 

“You don’t believe in my cause,” Washington pointed out. 

“I don’t. I think it’s a fool’s errand, but you do. And as long as you’re paying me, I’ll help you get what you need to bring King down once and for all.” 

“You’re risking your life.” 

“No more than anyone else who comes into contact with King. Besides, even if you hadn’t made your offer, King would still be asking for my company. If I said no, then he’d be pissed off and who knows what would happen. And if I said yes...well, this way with our deal, I don’t have to worry about your people shooting me in the back the first chance they get.” 

“My people would never, I would never do that,” Washington insisted. 

“Sure you wouldn’t,” Aaron agreed, though he didn’t believe it one bit. If things were different, if he hadn’t made the deal with Washington and someone saw him getting in and out of King’s car, his head would be on the chopping block for a whole different reason. This way, Aaron got the best of both deals, though he knew he had to hurry up on both ends. Washington and King could only stay patient for so long. Aaron finished his coffee and took a few more pieces of fruit before standing up. 

“I should go,” he stated. “But thanks for...” He waved a hand at the dishes. 

“You’re welcome,” Washington replied, standing from his stool. “Let me get you a shirt to wear.” Before Aaron could protest, he was already walking out of the room. Aaron slowly followed, waiting in the living room for Washington to return. He placed a hand on his hips and shoulder underneath the blanket, wondering how long it would take for the cuts to heal. He’d need to put something on the scars to make them fade. He hoped there weren’t too many bruises. Washington came back with a shirt, offering it to Aaron. He turned away from Washington and threw the blanket on the couch before pulling the shirt over his head. It was long and baggy, but it at least it covered his skin. 

“Do you have a ride? Or-”

“I’ll call one,” Aaron explained, looking around for his phone. He couldn’t remember when he used it last, so he had no idea where he left it. 

“What are you looking for?” 

“My phone.” 

“Oh, it’s in the bedroom. I’ll-”

“I can get it,” Aaron insisted, quickly bypassing Washington before he could do it first. He stalked down the hall into the bedroom and sure enough, his phone and apartment keys were sitting on the side table. He must have missed it with his headache and his desire to leave as quickly as possible. Foolish. Leaving them here would have been a grave mistake. He snatched them up and found he had a few messages from Maria and John. He’d answer them later. He glanced around the bedroom, looking from the bed to the window. He wished he remembered what he said word for word. Wished he knew what Washington had said, how he’d reacted. He was missing at least twenty minutes of his night, maybe more. He hated it. No more drinking for a while. He pulled up a car ride service and left the room. Washington was waiting for him back in the living room. 

“You should take a few days off from work,” Washington offered. “To heal.” 

“I’ll be fine,” Aaron quickly replied. “I can handle this.” 

“Aaron-” 

“Thank you for the offer though,” he quickly added. “If anything changes, if I start to feel worse, I’ll call in.” His words appeared to satisfy Washington’s concerns. Aaron found his shoes near the door and slipped them on. Washington must have taken them off after putting Aaron in bed. Just another thing Aaron didn’t remember. 

“And-” Washington spoke, but stopped right away. Aaron looked up at him with a curious look. What now?

“If you change your mind about the deal, if you decide you don’t want to do it anymore, just let me know. I won’t hold it against you,” Washington offered. 

“I’ll keep that in mind.” 

“I mean it.” 

“I know.” 

They stared at each other for a moment, Washington looking like he wanted to say something else while Aaron was hoping he’d just shut up for once. Thankfully, this time Aaron got his wish and Washington only nodded his head. Aaron opened the front door, taking a deep breathe. He turned back towards the other man one last time. 

“Thanks again for...everything. It does mean...something,” he confessed. Washington gave him a soft smile, looking shy all of a sudden. 

“You’re welcome. I hope...I hope next time we see each other it’ll be under better circumstances.” 

“Hopefully,” Aaron agreed as he walked through the door. He quickly shut it behind him and made his way to the elevator. He stabbed the button a number of times as if that would make the elevator arrive faster. When the doors finally opened, he rushed inside and pushed them to close. Once he was safely inside, he leaned against the wall and shut his eyes. What a fucking mess. Things could be worse. Patterson could have...succeeded. But he made a fool of himself in front of Washington and now the man probably doubt Aaron’s capacity to fulfil his part of the deal. He needed more information and fast. Needed to show that he could do this, that he was worth the month. They needed that money. His mind started running a mile a minute, but another voice quickly brought it to a stop. Now was not the time to freak out and panic. Now was the time for him to go home, rest, and forget about everything that happened within the last twenty-four hours. After that, he’d be able to come up with a plan. One step at a time. He could do this. He could. 

He hoped.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before I forget, I have a new poll! 
> 
> I really want to write a fairytale story next, but I'm having trouble picking what fairytale. Don't worry, I don't plan to start this story until Dancing Under the Stars and Two Plus One Equals Trouble is completely done, which may be sooner now that I'm writing easier. However, I would really love more input about what readers would like to see. So if you're willing, please hit this [link](https://forms.gle/G3zPkZXQAgUBULKPA) and let me know what you want. Thank you!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter! YAY!!!!

Aaron walked into the apartment and paused, listening for the TV, footsteps, or any other sounds that would tell him if Maria or Susan were home. Thankfully, everything was perfectly quiet. Aaron felt bad for being happy about that, but right now he wasn’t in the mood for talking to Susan or Maria or anyone. He didn’t have it in him to put his mask back on and pretend everything was fine. Everything wasn’t fine. It wasn’t. He made his way through the apartment into the bedroom and fell face first down on the bed. His head rejoiced at the softness while his arms and legs sank into the mattress. He felt so heavy; as if he was made of lead. 

He rolled over onto his side and kicked off his shoes before fighting to get the blanket over on top of his body. He knew he should probably take his jeans off. He should probably take a shower. Should probably reply to Maria’s and John’s messages, but he was just so tired. He burrowed deep into the bed, hiding himself from the scary world. It didn’t take long for the tears to come. Aaron tried his best to wipe them away, but he couldn't stop them. How could he be so stupid? 

He turned his face into the pillow as he let himself go. His tears weren’t just because of Patterson, weren’t just about what happened the night before. It was everything. How fucking unfair his life was. Today, like so many other days, he wondered how his life would have been different if his parents hadn’t died when he was so young. What if his grandfather hadn’t died next? Would things be better or the same? Would he still have run away or would he be in college right now? Blissfully unaware of how cruel and dark the world really was. Naive. Innocent. He lost all that years ago. Before he even ran away. He lost it the first time his uncle struck him. When his aunt told him to never say a word about it. When the people at his church looked the other way when his uncle dragged him around. 

On the bright side, he found Maria, Susan, and the others. God, how he loved them all so much, but he still knew how weak he was. He didn’t have the money or power to truly protect them. He still felt the guilt from every mark Reynolds left on Maria. How much she took on when she brought him into the club. He felt guilty when he looked at Susan the days leading up to a court appearance and the days after. She tried so hard to be brave, but he could see how hard it was for her. How her innocence was also being chipped away at such a young age. He wanted to protect them both. Wanted to give them a chance to live a better life. He wanted that for everyone in the club. Maybe if he extended his work he’d be able to. How much would it take to put Benjamin and James through school? To get Laf and John safely out of the city? Would it be too much for him? Maybe not if he gave into King’s demands. He could ask for even more then. He wasn’t sure he had the stomach for something like that, but maybe, just maybe he’d be brave enough to do it. Strong enough for everyone else. 

Aaron’s thoughts ran wild as the tears kept coming. He curled up tighter, pulling his arms in against his chest. His fingers ran along the seams of the shirt he was wearing. It was soft to the touch and smelled like fancy detergent. In a way it smelled like Washington. Aaron shoved that thought away. He didn’t want to think about that man at all. Fucking Washington and his noble cause and his kind words and his breakfast and stupid pyjamas that hugged his hips so good. He pulled the blanket over his head as if that would block out any thoughts or memories of his boss. The only thing the blanket did block out was the sound of the door opening. He didn’t realize anyone was in the room until a hand touched his shoulder. 

“Aaron?” Maria asked softly. “Honey, are you okay?” She only ever called him honey when he was sick because that was the only time he’d let her get away with it. 

“I’m fine,” he choked out, wiping at his face quickly. He had to get it together. He had to be strong. Maria tried to pull the blanket down, but Aaron held on tightly. 

“Are you sick?” 

“Hungover,” Aaron replied. 

“Hungover?” Maria echoed. She didn’t sound like she believed him. 

“Yeah. Came home and had a few too many. I should have drunk more water.” 

“Did you take something for it already?” she wondered. 

“Yeah. And drank some water too. The lights aren’t helping though.” 

“Oh baby,” Maria cooed, running a hand down his side. “I’ll bring you some more water. That’ll help it go away faster.” He heard her step away. 

“Thank you,” he answered softly, relaxing his hold on the blanket. Suddenly, Maria grabbed it and pulled it away from his face. 

“Hey!” he protested, covering his eyes as Maria let out a sharp gasp. 

“What happened to your face?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Aaron slowly lowered his arm, pressing a hand against his cheek. The marks had faded quite a bit, but there was still some light swelling from Patterson’s harsh blows to his face. Maria’s eyes went from Aaron’s face down to his shirt. He watched her eyebrows rise in confusion and concern.

“It’s nothing. It’s fine,” Aaron insisted, reaching to pull the blanket back over him. Maria gave him a stormy look, prompting him to freeze like a deer in headlights. The look faded as she let out a heavy sigh. 

“Aaron.” 

The way she said his name broke his heart. Such a heavy amount of feelings wrapped up in a single word. Suddenly, Aaron’s tears were back. He tried to force them to go away, but he couldn’t. He struggled to speak. Struggled to figure out what to say. A gentle hand ran over his head and down his shoulder. Aaron flinched when it got too close to his wounds. The hand quickly retreated. 

“Aaron, what happened?” Maria begged. 

“You’ll be mad,” Aaron muttered, trying to hide in the blanket again to get away. Maria grabbed the blanket at the same time and tugged it out of his hand. 

“You know that’s not true,” she promised. “I won’t get mad.” 

“Then you’ll be disappointed and that’s worse,” he softly cried. Maria shook her head, climbing over to lay next to him on the bed. She pulled him back against her chest. Aaron told himself to keep it together. Breathe in. Breathe out. Stay calm. Stay strong. He can do this. He’s been doing this. Just a little longer. Breathe. Stay strong. Stay ca-He couldn't do it. He turned over quickly, buried his face in Maria’s chest, and let the walls come crumbling down. 

“I lied,” he loudly sobbed. 

“Lied?” Maria echoed in confusion. Aaron nodded his head. “About what?”

“About everything. I’m a terrible person. And I deserve what happened. I know I do. And I’m so sorry for being such a horrible friend and not-” 

“Hold on,” she ordered, cutting him off with a firm voice. “I don’t even know what happened.” 

Aaron took a deep breath, and started to explain. He went back to the beginning with his first meeting with King, confessing to all the details he previously left out. Then he told her about his meeting with Washington, about the deal he'd been offered and the conditions he made. Next came King's deal, and Aaron's well thought out plan. Sometimes, Aaron got ahead of himself and his words got jumbled together. Maria told him repeatedly to breathe and slow down, but he didn't want to. He wanted to tell her as quickly as possible to get the pain and guilt off his chest. To free himself from the heavy weight on his shoulders. Thankfully, Maria was mostly quiet during his explanation. She whispered softly to him when he started getting upset and asked a few questions for clarification, but she didn't react. At least not in the ways Aaron expected. He finished with the previous nights' event, summarizing Patterson's attack and his rescue and focusing more on his morning with Washington, going so far as to repeat Washington's reasons for attacking King. By the time he was finished, he was exhausted. He didn't think he could cry any more tears. He cuddled closer for a moment, listening to the sound of Maria's heartbeat as he waited and waited and waited. 

He waited for Maria to say something. Anything, but she remained silent. Time ticked by. Aaron slowly eased away from his friend and looked up at her face, fearful of the expression he might find. He expected anger. Frustration. Disappointment. Maybe even annoyance. He wasn't ready for the blank look on Maria's face. She stared up at the ceiling with her eyes void of any emotion. His heart fell into his stomach. He struggled to say a single word, unable to find the right thing. He pulled further away, untangling himself from the woman as his mind raced. He should have kept it all to himself. None of this was Maria's fault. It wasn't her problem. It was Aaron's fault he was in this mess, and only he should have to deal with the consequences, yet instead, he dragged Maria into it because he's weak and foolish and stupid. God, he was such an idiot. 

"I'm sorry," he muttered, his tears coming back as the guilt started to creep up. "I didn't want you to get involved. I didn't want you to have more shit to deal with. I didn't want to stress you out or put you in danger or anything like that. I just wanted to help. I wanted to protect you and Susan. Keep you both safe. And I thought that...that we'd finally be able to leave. Find a better place where we'll be safe, but shit got so complicated and I thought I could handle it. I know I should be able to handle it, but I...I couldn't. And I'm sorry. I didn't mean to drag you down. I didn't mean to drop-"

Maria suddenly sat up, cutting him off. Aaron couldn't help himself. He flinched back in fear, scared that her indifference was hiding rage. Instead, a gentle hand ran over his head and wiped away the evidence of tears from his face. Aaron tried not to let the new ones fall. 

"I'm not upset with you. I'm also not disappointed. Not in you. I'm disappointed in myself," Maria said, her voice soft and gentle. Aaron looked up at her in confusion, opening his mouth to protest. Maria quickly pressed a finger over his lips. Then she leaned back against the wall, took a deep breath and stared straight ahead at the wall. 

"You're too good for this world, Aaron," she declared, shaking her head. "Way too good. Most people would have taken that kind of money and ran without looking back, without thinking about anyone else, but instead, you came up with a whole plan to help all of us. I guess it just...It makes me sad sometimes that you always put other people first.” She shook her head again and ran her hands over her face, quickly wiping under her eyes. 

“You'll put yourself in danger for us, stand up to monsters all alone just to keep us safe, and then carry that horror and pain all by yourself just because you don't want to be seen as an inconvenience. I just...I feel like I failed you. You should feel able to come to me about stuff like this. And I...I guess I’m worried that you don’t trust me.” 

"I do trust you!” Aaron protested. “I trust you more than I trust anyone else. I just...I want to help you the way you helped me. Pay you back." Maria quickly reached over and pinched his arm. 

"Ow!" 

"Fucking dumbass," she growled, glaring at him with a scowl that quickly melted away. "You've already paid me back ten times over. You've taken care of Susan when I couldn't. You helped me meet my quota countless times. You made me laugh and smile and made life a lot easier. You've already done so much for us. And while I don't think you should do this anymore, I understand why you did what you did. I want to say that I would do the same thing if I was in your shoes. That I'd be brave enough to do all this too, but I don't know if I would be able to. You're brave, Aaron. So brave and I wish you’d give yourself more credit." 

"I'm more stupid than brave," Aaron protested. Maria pinched him again. "Ow! Stop it!" 

"Stop putting yourself down! Do we need to go back to the spray bottle trick?" 

"No! No," Aaron assured her. "It's just...I feel bad for lying to you. For keeping secrets.”

“We all have secrets. We all have demons. I know I haven’t told you everything either. I didn’t tell you everything about Reynolds and shit like that, but...but I don’t want you to think that I won’t listen if you do want to talk. I won’t force you to, but I will always be here for you,” Maria promised. 

“I just...I wanted to do this all myself so then I could surprise you,” Aaron muttered. “So then you could just have the happy ending instead of the shitty middle.” 

“Aaron, you’ve been with me through so much shit. I want to be there for you too. You can lean on me, trust me. I’ll listen to you. I’ll support you. You don’t have to go through this all alone.” 

“You’re not going to try and stop me?” he wondered. 

“No,” she easily replied. “Your choices are your own. It’s your life. I won’t try to control you. I may not be thrilled by all of this, but...but I don’t want to tell you what you can or can’t do. You’ve clearly thought about the pros and cons. You know the danger. Nothing I say will change that. Plus... Plus I want you to feel safe talking to me about this. If I tried to get you to stop, then you’d want to lie to me more, and I really don’t want that.”

“I was scared you’d tell me to stop and then be so pissed you’d kick me out.” 

“I would never-” 

“I know that! I know, but I was so scared. My mind just started going wild.” 

“I understand,” Maria whispered. “Sometimes...I get nervous about telling you things about Reynolds' cause it’s like I’m going in circles. I worry about annoying you.” 

“I would never get annoyed by that,” Aaron swore. 

“I know that, but sometimes part of my mind doesn’t and it takes me a while to get myself out of that mindset,” she explained. 

Aaron soon understood what she was trying to convey. He felt foolish for thinking that his friend, his best friend, would turn her back on him like that, but sometimes, the human mind got stuck on the worst case scenario and refused to see any reason. Aaron's guilt about telling Maria the truth started to fade. He felt like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and heart. He could breathe easier, think clearer now that those dark thoughts were gone. Now that he shared some of his pain, it was easier for his own mind to look at it from a new point of view. He was no longer stuck in the dark, stuck running in circles. 

"I love you," Aaron said. "You're the best family I could have asked for. You and Susan." 

"I love you too," Maria replied, kissing his forehead. "You're the best brother a girl could ask for. I'm happy you're here. Happy that you're part of my life and nothing will ever change that. I promise." 

"Thank you for listening. I...I needed to tell someone. I needed to get it off my chest." 

"I understand. Do you want to keep talking about it or-" 

"I much rather hear about you and Theo," Aaron suggested instead, letting a smug look appear on his face as Maria suddenly became flustered. 

"Nothing happened," she quickly said. "We just went back to her apartment and watched some Netflix while eating ice cream. We talked through most of the movie. She's...She's really smart, Aaron. And so creative. Did you know she's a painter? Her apartment is filled with art and it's amazing. And she has so many books. It was great. It was really great. And...and she kissed me." 

"She did!?" Aaron exclaimed with glee. "When?! Was it just a peck or was there tongue? Did you kiss her back?!" 

"Oh my god! Aaron!" Maria buried her face in her hands as Aaron smiled brightly. 

"I'm taking that as a yes!" 

"Shut up!" Maria begged, but he could see that she was grinning behind her hands. "Yes I kissed her back. It was just a peck. At least the first one was just a peck." 

"You are so fucking hopeless," Aaron declared with a laugh. 

"I know," Maria confessed. "It was a good night, though. Really good. She asked if we could do it again sometime and I said yes. Then she made me breakfast this morning. Pancakes with chocolate chips." 

"Your favorite." 

"I know! She made them without asking me. It was like she knew I was going to love them. I almost asked her to marry me right then and there," Maria giggled, shaking her head at the very idea. 

Aaron's smile only grew. 

Maria and Theo gave him hope, hope for a better future. A future with love and happiness and safety. Hearing about Maria's night helped Aaron forget about his own. Almost. His shoulder still hurts when he moved it, and his hip started to protest the way he was laying on the bed, but he kept his focus on Maria as she went on and on about Theo. When she ran out of things to say, Aaron to the opportunity to slide off the bed. He walked over to his pile of books and shifted through them until he found the right one. He returned to the bed and opened the cover, revealing the book's hollow interior currently willed with a bundle of money. Maria's eyes widened. 

"I’ve been keeping half of it here and half of it in the safe at the club," Aaron explained, taking a seat on the edge of the bed. "Just in case something happens at either location, but now I'm thinking maybe we should put it in my bank account or you? I don't want someone to find out and take it." 

"A bank is a good idea," Maria agreed. "It has insurance. But your account would be better than mine. The court has access to mine when Reynolds starts kicking up shit, but I doubt anyone is keeping an eye on yours." 

"And then I was thinking of opening a new account outside the city and transferring the money there." 

"I still can't believe how much thought you've put into all of this," she muttered, slowly reaching out to run her hand over the money. It was quite a lot. Aaron still couldn't really believe they had this much, let alone be able to get more so easily. 

"I was thinking about the others. James and Ben and John and all of them," Aaron whispered. "I could...if I play my cards right, we might be able to help them too. I still have to do the math, but once I know the target amount I can figure out how long I need to do this." 

"I wouldn't tell the others about this," Maria warned. "John is getting...pretty close to Alexander and James is already making eyes at Thomas. They're leaning towards Washington and who knows how he'll feel if they knew you were working both sides. I think you shouldn't tell anyone else." 

"I...I didn't really plan on even telling you," Aaron pointed out. Maria nodded her head in understanding. "And you're right. I'm not going to tell them. I just can't leave them all behind without doing something." 

"Because that's the kind of person you are. You don't even know the meaning of the word selfish." 

"Stop it," Aaron begged. He did know the meaning of the word, and in many ways he knew he was selfish. He could easily be mean and cruel and harsh to other people. He had been before, but these were his friends. It was different with them. He wanted to help them. He hoped that he could. That didn't truly make him a selfless person. 

"I'm just saying," Maria explained, "that you don't have to save everyone. Set a bottom line goal for what you want to give the others instead of trying to bail everyone out. If you're not careful, the ship will flood with water and we'll all sink." 

"Great analogy," he commented with a small chuckle, but he understood what she was saying and he knew she was right. He couldn't save everyone. He needed to focus on small goals first. Build a solid foundation that their new lives could survive on. “I’ll set a goal and figure it out later. Right now...I just don't want to think about this stuff for a little while.” 

“Do you want to make some hot choca and watch a movie?” Maria suggested. 

“That sounds like the best idea ever,” Aaron agreed, returning the book of money back to it’s hiding place for now. “When is Susan coming home?” 

“She should be home in two hours I think,” she answered, pulling out her phone and checking through her messages. “Yeah. Two hours. They were going to the park first.” 

“Can I pick the movie?” 

“Of course, honey.” 

“Don’t call me that,” Aaron ordered, putting his hands on his hips. Maria only smiled as she climbed up from the bed and walked over to him. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a tight hug. 

“I love you,” she whispered. Aaron quickly hugged her back, clinging to her with all his strength. 

“I love you too.” 

They stayed there for a while, enjoying the embrace until finally, Maria pulled away and placed a hand on Aaron’s cheek. She kissed his forehead. Aaron struggled to keep the new tears at bay. Maria was everything he ever wanted in a mother. A sister. A family member. Without her, he’d fall apart. 

“I’ll get the cocoa,” she said softly, stepping back and turning to leave the bedroom. Aaron watched her go and took a deep breathe. It was easier to breath now, easier to see a hopeful future. He followed after his friend, each step feeling lighter than the last. Aaron walked into the living room and grabbed all the blankets he could find and piled them on the couch to make a nest before setting up to watch Ella Enchanted. It was one of their favorites, and he knew it’d help both of them. Maria came in a few minutes later with two mugs of hot cocoa with marshmallows. They huddled together in the nest and started the movie.

* * *

“Aaron,” Alexander called his name seconds after he and Maria walked into the club. Maria shared a look with Aaron. He gave a small nod and watched her walk towards the backstage area to tell Martha about Aaron’s injuries. He knew he had some outfits that would cover them up, but he still wanted to make them harder to see under the stage lights just in case. Aaron headed over to Alexander with a tired look on his face. 

“It’s Angel inside the club, remember?” He’d only told Alexander twenty times or so over the last few weeks. 

“Washington told me to give this to you. He’s not coming in tonight, but he says to text him if you need anything else,” Alexander explained, ignoring Aaron’s correction and passing an envelope over to him. 

“What for?” Aaron asked as he took it. He went to open it, curious about what was inside, but Alexander quickly reached over the counter and put his hand overtop of Aaron’s. He glared at the other man in confusion and irritation, though the latter was his usual reaction to Alexander’s presence. Alexander just shook his head, giving Aaron a serious look. 

“Not here,” he warned. “Washington didn’t give me a real reason, but I think it’s about the other night. He also suggested that you take a few nights off. He won’t make you, but he thinks you should rest. Take some time to yourself after what happened.” 

“I appreciate his concern-” 

“Not you don’t-” 

“-but I’m doing okay,” Aaron assured him with a fierce look. He wasn’t going to let Patterson break him, wasn’t going to let one event ruin his life. He was stronger than that. He knew he was, and he had support behind him. “I won’t put my life on hold just because some asshole attacked me. I’m going to keep moving forward.” Alexander stared at him for a while, his face unreadable until a proud grin appeared on his face. 

“You’re something else, _Angel_ ,” Alexander declared, emphasizing Aaron’s stage name. “I can see why Washington likes you.” Aaron’s face heated up at the words. He struggled to come up with a reply. What was he supposed to say to something like that?!

“What are we talking about?” Thomas asked, suddenly appearing next to Aaron. Aaron jumped in surprise while Alexander just rolled his eyes and scoffed. 

“We’re not talking to you,” he hissed. Thomas ignored him in favor of looking Aaron up and down. Aaron struggled not to shift around under his knowing gaze. 

“You doing okay?” Thomas wondered, his voice soft while his eyes bore into Aaron’s soul. 

“Yeah. I’m fine.” That didn’t sound convincing even to his own ears, but Thomas didn’t push. 

“You let Caleb or I know if you see that piece of shit around again, okay?” 

“I wi-” 

“I mean it,” Thomas cut him off, leaning closer towards him. “Just say the word and we’ll deal with him for you.” 

“Did Washington tell you to say that?” Aaron asked, tilting his head curiously. Thomas shook his head. 

“Washington has nothing to do this with.” 

“Then why-” 

“James.” he stated, the word holding a hidden meaning. It took Aaron a moment to understand. He kept his face blank to spare Thomas. So Maria was right. James and Thomas had gotten close, very close. “He talks about you all the time and...I didn’t tell him what happened. That’s not my place, but he mentioned that you’d had problems before and he holds you in high regard. Keeping you safe, keeping all of you safe helps him in the long run.” 

“You better be nice to him,” Aaron warned, narrowing his eyes. 

“I try to be, but if I fail, you can be the first one in line to punish me,” Thomas offered, wiggling his eyebrows at the double meaning of the words. Aaron rolled his eyes. Thomas’s expression turned serious again. “But seriously...I’m trying. James already worries about so much. I’m trying to lessen his load.” 

“If I have any issues, I’ll let you, or Caleb, know right away,” Aaron promised. The tension in Thomas’ shoulders loosened. He gently patted Aaron’s uninjured shoulder and gave him a big bright smile. 

“It’s really is easy to see why Washington likes you so much,” he declared, echoing Alexander’s earlier comment. 

Before Aaron could say anything, he walked off towards the hallway just in time for James to appear. Aaron watched as Thomas grabbed the man’s hand and dragged him into the bathroom. Aaron couldn’t stop the small smile that pulled at his lips. The look of pure excitement and want on James’ face warmed his heart. Part of him knew it wasn’t good for James to get so involved with someone in a gang, especially not someone like Thomas Jefferson, but his friend was happy and that’s what Aaron liked to see. They still had an hour or so before opening. Hopefully Thomas knew better than to leave any marks. 

“Aa-Angel?” Alexander said, getting Aaron’s attention again. “When you go backstage, can you give this to John?” He slid another envelope across the bar towards Aaron. This one was blue and shaped more like a birthday card unlike the one Aaron was already holding that was white and long. 

“Sure,” Aaron agreed, taking the other card. “Is your name inside?” 

“No, but he’ll know who it’s from.” 

“You’re being nice to him right?” he asked, staring Alexander down. 

Alexander gave him a small grin and nodded once. Aaron stared at him a little longer before turning and heading backstage. Maria and Martha were huddled around Martha’s station. Lafayette’s bag was by his mirror, but the man was nowhere to be found. Ben was running late so he had yet to arrive. Aaron didn’t know where everyone else was, but John was currently sitting in front of his mirror doing his makeup.

“John!” 

“Yo!” 

Aaron lightly throw the blue envelope his way. John easily caught it, then froze. He stared at the item in his hand for a while, glancing at Aaron for confirmation. Aaron only shrugged. He didn’t know what was inside. He made his way over to his own mirror and took a seat, keeping his eyes on John as he slowly opened the envelope. Inside was a plain white card without any text or pictures or anything. Aaron watched as John’s eyes grew wide then an adoring look appeared on his face. He shut the card and pressed it to his chest for a moment before quickly opening his safe and shoving the card inside. He looked around, his eyes meeting Aaron’s. They stared at each other for a while until Aaron reached up and put a single finger in front of his lips. He didn’t see anything. 

‘Thank you,’ John mouthed at him without any sound. Aaron only nodded and turned to his own white envelope. It wasn’t sealed, so he opened it just enough to take a peek inside. Fuck that was a lot of cash. He thumbed through it quickly, feeling his eyes widen as the number in his head climbed higher. He found a small piece of paper at the back of the envelope and pulled it out. 

_Towards your cause. - GW_

Aaron thought about crumbling the paper up, but instead he slid it back into the envelope and quickly put everything in his safe for the time being. After work, he planned to empty the safe and take the money to the nearest bank ATM. He wasn’t sure how he felt about Washington giving him money for nothing, but he wasn’t going to question it. Not right now. He’d talk with Maria about it later. 

“Aaron,” Martha called his name, “Let’s see what I can do for you.” Aaron got up and went over to the two women, forgetting about the envelope of money and the note for now and focusing on his job instead. He understood Washington’s offer for him to stay home, but he wasn’t going to do that. He wasn’t going to just sit back like a scared child. He was going to be brave. Be strong and face each new day head on even though part of him was still scared, but he’d been scared for years now. He wasn’t going to give into his fear. He was going to overcome it again and again and again. 

His phone suddenly buzzed as he was listening to Martha and Maria talk about the right makeup technique for covering cuts and bruises. Aaron pulled it out of his back pocket and glanced at the messages. 

_Jonathan: I want to see you_

_Jonathan: ASAP_

Well shit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Remember that 'Jonathan' is the codename Aaron used for King in his phone. ;)


End file.
